tihvary  of  t:he  Cheolojical  ^tmimvy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


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PRESENTED  BY 

Y?le  Divinity  School  Library 

A4 


V 


Present  Church  Building,  1901. 


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©fficers  of  tbe  Cburcb 


PASTOR 

REV.  CHARLES  A.  COOK 

DEACONS 

Frank  B.  Stone  Walter  L.  Tower 

Joseph  B.  Maxfield  Francis  C.   Foster 

John   Rassbach  Edward  T.  Van  Vleit 

CLERK 

Franklin  A.  Stone 

TREASURER 

David  G.   Garabrant 

TRUSTEES 

Joseph  B.  Maxfield  Wm.  Baldwin 

David  G.   Garabrant  Walter  L,  Tower 

John   Rassbach  Charles  S.  Teall 

Harry  L.  Osborne 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT 

Frank  B.  Stone 


INTRODUCTORY. 


This  story  of  the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniver- 
sary of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  has 
been  prepared  as  a  special  souvenir  of  that  event.  The 
story  includes  an  account  of  all  the  exercises,  together 
with  the  principal  papers  and  addresses,  and  is  supple- 
mented by  full  statistical  tables  covering  the  fifty  years 
and  also  by  an  historical  sketch  of  the  Sunday-school 
work.  The  illustrations  add  much  to  the  interest  of  the 
souvenir,  and  will  enhance  its  value  in  the  coming  years 
when  another  generation  may  be  interested  in  the  faces 
of  some  of  the  leaders  who  were  identified  with  the  first 
half  century  of  the  church's  history.  So  far  as  they  could 
be  obtained,  portraits  are  given  of  every  officer  of  the 
church  during  the  fifty  years.*  The  celebration,  which 
covered  four  days,  November  24-27,  was  itself  a  memo- 
rable event,  full  of  joy  and  praise  and  inspiration,  and 
greatly  strengthened  the  bonds  of  Christian  unity  and 
fraternal  fellowship  already  such  marked  features  of  the 
church's  life. 

*  Fortunately  the  Committee  succeeded  in  securing  pictures  of  all  the  officers 
save  one,  Mr.  George  Sherwood,  Trustee,  1854  to  1856. 


(5) 


^nnixjiersietrp  ^wnt»»sf* 


On  Sunday  morning,  November  24,  notwithstanding 
disagreeable  weather,  a  good  congregation  assembled  to 
participate  in  the  opening  service  of  the  jubilee,  and  to 
hear  the  anniversary  sermon  which  was  preached  by  the 
pastor,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Cook.  Magnificent  palms  filled 
the  pulpit  alcove,  beautiful  chrysanthemums  adorned  the 
platform,  while  set  in  the  alcove  arch  in  letters  of  gold 
was  the  legend,  "185 1.  The  Year  of  Jubilee,  1901," — all 
kindly  furnished  by  Deacon  J.  Rassbach.  During  the 
service  a  quartette  entitled  "Angels'  Voices  Ever  Sing- 
ing" was  rendered  by  Mrs.  W.  H.  Burn,  Miss  Nellie  D. 
Maxfield,  Mr.  E.  M.  Healy  and  Mr.  Franklin  A.  Stone, 
and  a  solo  entitled  "Beyond  the  Gates  of  Paradise,"  by 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Burn.  The  theme  of  the  sermon  was 
"Praise  for  Fifty  Years  of  Blessing,"  and  abundant 
reasons  were  given  why  praise  and  thanksgiving  should 
abound  during  the  jubilee. 

THE  SERMON. 

Text. — "I  will  worship  toward  Thy  holy  temple,  and  praise  Thy 
name  for  Thy  lovingkindness,  and  for  Thy  truth."     Psa.  138 :  2. 

These  days  of  jubilee  celebration  upon  which  we 
have  entered  should  be  characterized  by  much  joyful 
thanksgiving  to  God,     The  memory  of  His  great  good- 

(7) 


8 

ness  and  of  His  lovingkindness,  in  His  gracious  dealings 
with  this  church  during  the  fifty  years  of  its  history, 
should  awaken  our  heartiest  and  best  songs  of  praise. 
The  Jewish  jubilee  of  old  was  a  time  of  great  rejoicing 
among  all  the  people.  From  the  time  that  the  jubilee 
trumpet  was  heard  in  the  temple  courts  with  peculiar 
loudness  and  joyousness  of  tone  ushering  in  the  year  of 
jubilee,  and  the  glad  sound  was  taken  up  by  other  trum- 
pets and  echoed  all  over  the  land,  east,  west,  north  and 
south,  until  the  glad  music  was  heard  everywhere,  from 
that  hour  through  all  the  year  and  through  all  the  land, 
the  hearts  of  the  people  were  filled  with  rejoicing  and 
praise.  And  if  they  in  those  ancient  days  had  reason 
to  rejoice  because  of  temporal  blessings  and  privileges 
which  the  year  of  jubilee  brought  to  them,  how  much 
more  should  God's  people  to-day  celebrate  with  great 
rejoicing  a  jubilee  of  spiritual  blessings  and  privileges. 
They  rejoiced  and  praised  God,  not  so  much  because 
of  what  they  had  received  during  the  fifty  years  that  had 
gone,  as  they  did  because  of  what  the  one  year,  the  last 
year  of  the  fifty,  brought  to  them.  But  during  our  jubilee 
celebration  as  a  church  we  are  to  think  and  speak  of  all 
the  fifty  years  of  God's  lovingkindness  and  faithfulness, 
and  of  His  grace  and  goodness  and  wondrous  works. 
With  fifty-fold  greater  joy  fulness  and  thanksgiving  there- 
fore should  our  jubilee  be  characterized  than  was  the 
ancient  Jewish  jubilee. 

I .  We  should  praise  the  Lord  for  His  lovingkindness 
and  truth  in  the  distinct  testimony  of  a  Baptist  church 
in  this  community  for  fifty  years. 

While  holding  many  things  in  common  with  other 
evangelical  bodies,  and  while  ever  ready  to  actively  co- 
operate with  other  denominations  in  work  for  the  moral 


and  spiritual  welfare  of  men,  loving  their  brethren  and 
having  delightful  fellowship  with  them  in  the  Lord's 
work,  Baptists  at  the  same  time  represent  and  stand  dis- 
tinctively for  certain  great  Scriptural  principles  and  doc- 
trines and  practices. 

Baptists  have  from  the  beginning  persistently  main- 
tained the  absolute  supremacy  of  the  word  of  God  as  the 
rule  of  faith  and  practice.  A  doctrine  or  practice  must 
be  distinctly  a  matter  of  Scripture  precept  or  example  to 
secure  our  acceptance  or  observance  of  it.  Baptists  have 
no  creeds,  nor  catechisms,  nor  confessions  of  faith  which 
bind  them  by  their  authority.  Baptists  hold  that  God 
has  given  to  every  person  the  right  to  interpret  the  Script- 
ures for  himself.  No  church,  no  person  in  the  church 
claiming  some  special  authority  has  any  right  to  step  in 
between  the  man  and  his  Bible  and  interpret  it  for  him 
with  any  binding  authority.  Baptists  in  all  their  history 
have  contended  for  a  regenerate  church  membership,  and 
have  insisted  on  satisfactory  evidences  of  regeneration 
being  given  as  a  prerequisite  to  baptism  and  church  mem- 
bership, and  they  have  required  the  maintenance  of  godly 
living  as  a  condition  of  continued  church  membership. 
New  Testament  baptism,  they  maintain,  requires  that  a 
person  be  a  believer  and  that  he  be  immersed.  Baptists 
have  always  stood  for  complete  separation  of  church  and 
state,  limiting  the  state  to  the  exercise  of  civic  functions, 
and  restricting  the  church  wholly  to  matters  religious 
or  ecclesiastical.  Believing  that  a  man's  faith  is  a  matter 
between  himself  and  God,  Baptists  have  regarded  as  a 
gross  injustice  and  unwarranted  interference  with  liberty 
of  conscience,  any  attempt  to  force  or  constrain  men  by 
outward  penalties  to  this  or  that  form  of  religious  belief. 
Baptists  have  been  persecuted,  but  they  have  never  perse- 
cuted others.     Says  Prof.   Newman  in  "A   Century  of 


lO 

Baptist  Achievement," — "that  Baptist  churches  are  in  all 
essential  respects  conformed  to  the  apostolic  norm  is  gen- 
erally admitted  by  impartial  students  of  New  Testament 
church  polity  who  have  taken  the  trouble  to  compare  the 
two ;  and  there  is  a  practical  consensus  of  New  Testament 
scholarship  in  the  interpretation  of  the  apostolic  notices 
regarding  church  organization  and  ordinances  in  sub- 
stantial accord  with  Baptist  theory  and  practice."  A 
Baptist  church  is  distinctively  a  New  Testament  church, 
and  it  has  no  right  to  call  itself  a  Baptist  church  unless 
it  is. 

All  through  their  history  Baptists  have  most  earnestly 
contended  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  Dr. 
Sarles,  at  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  this  church, 
said :  "The  crown  for  fidelity  for  God's  word  belongs  to 
Baptists."  A  few  years  ago  I  heard  Dr.  Theodore  L. 
Cuyler  speak  in  a  most  complimentary  and  eulogistic  way 
of  the  loyal  adherence  of  the  Baptist  ministry  and  of  the 
Baptist  denomination  to  the  old  gospel  and  to  the  great 
fundamental  doctrines  of  redemption.  And  to-day  when 
everywhere  men  are  full  of  questionings  and  doubt,  when 
there  is  so  much  turning  aside  from  the  old  paths,  there 
is  probably  no  body  of  Christian  ministers  and  no  denom- 
inations of  Christians  so  free  from  theological  error,  and 
so  free  from  tendencies  to  drift  from  the  inspired  word 
of  God  and  its  truths  and  precepts,  as  Baptist  ministers 
and  the  Baptist  denomination. 

If  these  statements  are  true,  and  if  a  Baptist  church 
is  what  we  have  described  it  to  be,  then  it  means  something 
for  a  Baptist  church  to  have  been  in  a  community  for 
fifty  years  representing,  preaching,  practicing,  and  when 
necessary  contending  for  New  Testament  doctrines,  ordi- 
nances, principles,  truths,  and  we  have  reason  to  thank 
God  and  praise  His  name  that  in  His  goodness  He  led 


JOSHUA  CRANK. 
Deacon,  1852-1858. 


SAMUEL  A.  BROWER. 
Treasurer,  1852-1854 
Trustee,  1852-1856. 
Clerk,  1854-1860. 
Deacon,  :882-i9oi. 


DAVID  CAIRNS. 
Trustee,  1852-1854. 
1857-1867. 
Deacon,  185S-1881 


WILLIAM  CLARK. 
Deacon,  1852-1861. 
Trustee,  1855-1856. 


II 

thirteen  Christian  men  and  women  fifty  years  ago  to 
organize  themselves  into  a  Baptist  church  in  this  com- 
munity and  that  He  has  preserved  the  church  and  multi- 
plied and  prospered  it  through  all  these  years. 

2.  We  should  praise  God  for  His  lovingkindness  in 
giving  this  church  so  many  godly  and  consecrated  men 
and  women. 

These  have  been  its  pillars  and  light-bearers;  their 
prayers  and  self-sacrificing  efforts,  their  testimony  and 
gifts  and  service  have  made  this  church  what  it  is  to-day. 
All  honor  be  given  to-day  to  the  memory  of  the  Wards, 
and  Clarks,  and  Vanderpools,  and  Cairns  and  Cranes  of 
earliest  days,  all  honor  be  given  to-day  to  the  memory  of 
such  names  as  Samuel  A.  Brower,  and  Charles  S.  Willet 
and  Mrs.  Willet,  and  Thomas  T.  Cadmus,  and  Charles 
Gilbert,  and  Eldridge  Van  De  Werken,  and  William  J. 
Omberson,  and  Geo.  P.  Farmer,  and  Theodore  R.  Beards- 
ley,  and  Mrs.  Alice  Weston,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Sim- 
cox,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Rassbach,  and  many  others  who 
might  be  named,  who  having,  through  faith,  wrought 
righteousness,  obtained  promises,  given  of  their  sub- 
stance, engaged  in  the  service  of  Christ,  taught  in  the 
Sunday-school,  held  up  the  hands  of  their  pastors,  fought 
a  good  fight,  finished  their  course,  and  served  their  gen- 
eration by  the  will  of  God,  have  entered  into  rest.  These 
godly  men  and  women  were  God's  best  gifts  to  this 
church.  This  church  has  never  been  wealthy  so  far  as 
earthly  riches  are  concerned,  but  God  has  always  blessed 
it  with  men  and  women  who  have  been  rich  in  faith,  rich 
in  prayer  and  good  works,  rich  in  their  love  and  liberality 
for  the  cause  of  Christ.  To  Him  who  has  thus  blessed 
His  people  be  thanksgiving  and  praise  to-day. 


12 


3-   We  should  praise  God  for  the  men  who  have  been 
honored  in  being  the  pastors  of  this  church. 

For  the  pioneer  pastor,  John  D,  Meeson,  whose  brief 
ministry  of  seven  months  was  crowned  with  blessing. 
For  the  true-hearted  faithful  pastor,  Jas.  H.  Pratt,  under 
whose  ministry  of  five  years  and  one  month  so  many 
were  converted  and  received  into  membership,  who  have 
since  lived  godly  lives  and  been  a  blessing  in  the  world. 
For  that  spiritual  leader.  Pastor  Henry  F.  Smith,  who 
for  ten  years  and  a  half  sowed  seeds  of  truth  which  have 
ever  since  borne  abundant  fruit  in  the  spiritual-minded- 
ness  and  generous  systematic  giving  of  many  of  the  mem- 
bers of  this  church.  For  that  sturdy  man  of  God,  William 
F.  Stubbert,  who  came  next.  His  pastorate  covered  six 
years  and  eight  months  and  was  characterized  by  the 
holding  up  of  a  high  standard  of  Christian  life  and  duty, 
and  blessed  by  several  seasons  of  special  revival.  For 
the  saintly  Ezra  D.  Simons  who  followed,  and  who  in 
labors  abundant  among  all  classes  of  people  faithfully 
served  the  church  for  eleven  years  and  eight  months. 
Under  his  pastorate  the  greatest  revival  and  ingathering 
in  the  history  of  the  church  took  place. 

These  servants  of  God  all  rest  from  their  labors, 
but  their  works  do  follow  them,  and  in  the  spiritual  build- 
ing as  we  look  upon  it  at  the  end  of  fifty  years  we  can  see 
the  work  of  their  hands,  and  rfejoice  and  thank  God ;  others 
have  labored  and  we  have  entered  into  their  labors,  and  if 
they  can  look  upon  this  scene  to-day,  they  who  sowed  and 
they  who  reap  rejoice  together. 

In  these  fifty  years  1252  persons  have  united  with 
this  church,  789  by  baptism.  Many  of  this  number  have 
gone  over  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first- 
born on  high,  a  few  have  fallen  out  of  line,  having  proved 


13 

unfaithful  to  their  profession  of  faith,  a  large  number  are 
scattered  throughout  the  country  doing  good  service  for 
Christ  elsewhere,  three  are  in  the  Christian  ministry,  one 
of  whom  is  a  missionary  to  the  Telugus  in  India,  and 
435  remain  in  fellowship  here  to  rejoice  to-day  and  praise 
God  for  all  that  He  has  been  to  this  church,  and  done  for 
it  and  through  it,  and  to  march  forward  in  His  name  to 
still  greater  achievements. 

4.   We  should  praise  God  for  the  happy  spirit  of 
unity  that  has  prevailed  in  this  church  in  all  its  years. 

At  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  church,  among 
the  floral  decorations  was  a  shield  bearing  the  motto, 
"Years  of  Happy  Union."  To-day  the  same  motto  might 
be  fittingly  given  a  prominent  place.  The  spirit  of  broth- 
erly love  and  harmony  has  never  been  disturbed  except 
for  a  brief  space  in  the  early  history  of  the  church,  when 
it  was  on  the  verge  of  a  very  serious  division.  In  these 
later  years  the  spirit  of  unity  and  harmony  has  grown 
and  deepened  most  sweetly  and  we  can  heartily  sing 
to-day, 

Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 

Our  hearts  in  Christian  love, 
The  fellowship  of  kindred  minds 

Is  like  to  that  above. 

Before  our  Father's  throne 

We  pour  our  ardent  prayers, 
Our  fears,  our  hopes,  our  aims  are  one, 

Our  comforts  and  our  cares. 

We  thank  God  to-day  that  these  fifty  years  have  wit- 
nessed such  unity  and  peace  and  such  hearty  co-opera- 
tion in  the  Lord's  work,  and  that  to-day, 


We  are  not  divided, 

All  one  body  we, 
One  in  hope  and  doctrine. 

One  in  charity. 

May  our  gracious  Lord  and  Master  ever  keep  out  of 
the  ranks  of  this  church  those  who  would  disturb  this 
peace  or  stir  up  strife,  and  may  the  joys  of  this  jubilee 
bind  us  all  in  stronger,  intenser  love  to  our  gracious  Re- 
deemer, and  because  close  to  Him,  may  we  be  brought 
closer  than  ever  to  each  other  in  loving  fellowship  and 
service. 

5.  We  should  praise  God  to-day  for  His  goodness 
and  truth  in  giving  to  this  church  a  spirit  of  liberality 
and  benevolence. 

The  amount  raised  for  benevolences  during  these 
fifty  years  is  over  $37,000,  an  average  of  $740  a  year 
for  all  its  history.  Over  $27,000  of  this  has  been  raised 
in  the  last  twenty-five  years,  an  average  of  nearly  $1100 
a  year  for  this  last  quarter  of  a  century.  This  represents 
the  consecration  of  the  members  of  this  church,  many  of 
whom  give  a  tenth  of  their  income  to  the  Lord's  work, 
some  give  much  more,  and  joyfully  testify  to  the  blessed- 
ness of  thus  honoring  the  Lord  with  their  substance. 

6.  We  should  praise  God  for  zvhat  He  has  done  for 
the  denomination  to  ivhich  zve  belong. 

In  185 1,  when  this  church  was  organized,  there  were 
789  Baptist  church  members  in  Essex  County;  to-day 
there  are  about  7000.  Then  the  population  was  75,000, 
and  the  Baptists  were  one  in  95 ;  to-day  the  population  is 
359,000  and  the  Baptists  are  one  in  51.     Fifty  years  ago 


15 

there  were  loi  Baptist  churches  in  New  Jersey,  with  a 
total  membership  of  13,517;  at  the  beginning  of  this  year 
there  were  317  churches,  with  a  total  of  53,172  members. 
This  growth  has  been  general  throughout  the  country 
and  the  four  and  a  half  millions  of  Baptists  in  the  United 
States  are  doing  an  evangelistic,  missionary,  and  educa- 
tional work  unsurpassed  by  any  body  of  Christians,  their 
work  of  evangelization  being  felt  not  only  all  over  this 
land,  but  around  the  world. 

We  may  well  praise  God  that  we  are  permitted  to 
join  in  the  jubilee  celebration  of  this  church,  for  which, 
and  in  which,  and  through  which  God  has  done  so  much  in 
the  past.  We  may  well  devoutly  praise  God  for  the  rich 
blessings  of  His  lovingkindness  and  of  His  truth  which 
we  are  at  present  enjoying,  that  we  live  in  such  a  day  of 
abundant  blessing  upon  the  great  denomination  to  which 
we  belong,  and  in  a  time  when  God  is  doing  such  great 
things  through  the  whole  Church  of  Christ  for  the  univer- 
sal spread  of  the  gospel  and  the  evangelization  of  the 
whole  world.  The  future  is  bright  with  hope.  In  God's 
lovingkindness  and  truth  we  find  our  ground  of  confi- 
dence and  our  inspiration  for  all  the  days  to  come. 

Not  many  who  are  here  to-day  will  be  here  fifty  years 
from  now.  Long  before  then  our  Lord  may  come  again. 
But  should  He  tarry,  may  those  who  live  then  have  abun- 
dant reason  to  praise  the  God  of  all  goodness  and  truth  for 
what  the  next  fifty  years  shall  witness  of  His  grace  and 
power  in  this  place,  and  until  Christ  shall  come  may  this 
church  grow  in  every  spiritual  grace,  in  all  Christliness 
of  character,  and  by  her  faith  and  consecration  and  good 
works,  by  her  unswerving  fidelity  to  the  word  of  God, 
by  purity  of  life  among  her  members,  by  the  fervenc}'^  and 
constancy  of  her  missionary  zeal,  by  the  faithfulness  and 
godliness  and  power  of  her  ministers,  ever  honor  her 


i6 

Divine  Head,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  worthy  to 
receive  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  strength  and 
honor  and  glory  and  blessing,  to  whom  be  all  worship 
and  praise  and  thanksgiving  and  adoration  in  heaven  and 
on  earth  forever  and  ever.    Amen. 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  SERVICE. 

This  service  was  one  of  rejoicing.  Addresses 
were  delivered  by  the  pastor  and  by  two  former  superin- 
tendents, Mr.  Henry  Russell  and  Mr.  D.  G.  Garabrant. 
These  addresses  were  on  the  relation  of  the  church 
to  the  Sunday-school,  and  showed  why  our  school  should 
be  interested  in  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  church. 
Attention  was  called  to  the  following  facts,  that  one  of  the 
present  teachers,  Mrs.  Henry  Spear,  was  active  in  the 
school  at  the  first,  that  every  pastor  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  the  work,  that  all  the  deacons  save  one  are 
now  teachers  or  officers  in  the  school,  that  all  the  trustees 
save  two  are  now  connected  with  the  school  and  these 
two  were  until  recently,  that  the  church  clerk,  treasurer 
and  sexton  are  all  teachers,  and  that  the  church  supports 
the  school,  paying  all  its  expenses. 

Mr.  Frank  B.  Stone,  the  superintendent,  submitted 
for  adoption  a  message  of  congratulation  from  the  school 
to  the  church,  which  he  had  prepared.  This  was  adopted 
by  a  unanimous  vote  and  ordered  to  be  read  at  the  evening 
service  on  Monday,  as  follows : 


17 

Church  of  God,  our  beloved  church,,  we  greet  you  to- 
day, this  day  of  jubilee.  We,  the  children  of  your  watch- 
care,  rejoice  with  you  in  the  labor  of  the  years.  We 
share  your  joy  in  the  rounding  out  of  half  a  century. 

Fifty  years  of  prayer,  of  praise,  of  power,  of  patience, 
of  preaching,  of  peace. 

Fifty  years  of  labor,  of  love,  of  loyalty  to  truth  and 
Christ. 

Fifty  years  of  teaching,  of  leading,  of  comforting. 

Fifty  years  of  song.     Fifty  years  of  tears. 

Fifty  years  a  guide-board.    Fifty  years  a  lighthouse. 

Oh,  the  comfort  and  the  shelter  to  many  a  weary 
pilgrim,  the  strength  imparted  to  many  a  saint  in  climb- 
ing to  the  heights  of  Nebo. 

Who  shall  measure  ?  Who  shall  gather  ?  Who  shall 
count  ? 

None  shall  measure.  None  shall  gather.  None  shall 
count. 

Only  on  the  other  shore  shall  be  known  how  many 
through  your  portals  have  reached  the  golden  land.  How 
many  weary,  aching  hearts  had  fainted,  but  for  you. 

Oh,  Church  of  God,  we  love  you  for  your  deeds  of 
mercy  and  of  love;  for  your  tender,  loving  watchcare; 
for  your  hands  extended ;  for  your  arms  uplifted,  point- 
ing sinners  to  the  Cross ;  for  the  Bread  of  Life  presented ; 
for  the  Living  Water  given. 

May  the  Blessed  Holy  Spirit  ever  dwell  within  your 
borders,  ever  guide  and  lead  you.  May  the  years  to  come 
be  fruitful,  rich  and  full,  the  blessing  flowing  into  hearts 
of  men.  Lives  made  to  bud,  to  blossom  and  come  to 
fruitage  in  the  sunshine  of  His  love,  through  your  labors, 
through  your  prayers. 

So  we  stand  beside  you  on  this  day  of  joy  and  praise. 
We,  the  children  of  your  tender  loving  care,  standing 


i8 

with  our  hands  united  and  our  hearts  upHfted  to  our  gra- 
cious Heavenly  Father  for  a  blessing  and  for  His  leading 
through  the  years  to  come. 

In  your  thankful  prayers,  in  your  coming  to  the 
Throne  of  Grace,  may  we  still  bespeak  tender  loving  men- 
tion of  us  your  children,  that  we  may  as  lambs  be  fed,  as 
lambs  be  led,  that  we  may  all  be  sheltered  by  the  Shepherd, 
that  at  last  we  may  all  be  gathered  in  that  land  of  song, 
eternal  day,  eternal  peace,  eternal  joy. 


THE  EVENING  SERVICE. 


The  evening  service  was  in  charge  of  Deacon  Joseph 
B.  Maxfield.  It  was  opened  with  a  song  service,  followed 
by  Scripture  reading  and  prayer  by  Deacon  Frank  B. 
Stone.  A  very  sweet  and  appropriate  chorus,  entitled 
"Praise  ye  the  Lord,"  was  rendered  by  a  choir  of  young 
people.  The  addresses  of  the  evening,  given  in  full  below, 
very  fully  covered  the  history,  life  and  activities  of  the 
church  during  the  fifty  years,  awakened  many  memories 
and  stirred  all  hearts  to  gratitude  and  praise  to  God  for 
what  had  been  done.  After  the  addresses  many  of  the 
members,  both  young  and  old,  gladly  testified  of  bless- 
ings they  had  received  in  the  church. 

It  was  a  service  of  great  gladness,  and  will  be  long 
remembered  by  those  who  were  present.  During  the  ser- 
vice a  solo  and  chorus,   entitled  "Crowns  of  Victory," 


CHARLES  S.  WILLET. 

Trustee,  1852-1858. 
"  1860-1877. 

Treasurer,  1860-1868. 
Deacon,  1865-1888. 


UZAL  D.  WARD. 
Clerk,  1852-1854. 
Deacon,  1862-1871. 
Trustee,  1864-1867 


SYLVESTER  P.  LOOKER. 
Trustee,  i  852-1 853. 


DAVID  SANFORD. 

Trustee,  1S52-1854. 


19 

was  rendered  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Healy  and  the  choir.  Mrs. 
Franklin  A.  Stone  presided  at  the  organ  at  both  morning 
and  evening  services. 

ADDRESS. 
By  Joseph  B.  Maxfield. 


Subject. — Blessings  realized  from  spiritual  development  during 
the  past  fifty  years. 


Dear  Brethren  and  Sisters  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Bloomfield,  N.  J. 

More  than  I  can  express  in  words,  is  my  gratitude  to 
God  for  having  spared  me  to  see  this  hour,  and  to  par- 
ticipate with  you  in  its  holy  and  happy  exercises.  I 
esteem  it  a  very  great  honor  to  preside  over  this  meeting, 
and  to  occupy  this  platform  with  these  men  of  God.  For 
over  thirty-nine  years  I  have  enjoyed  the  privilege  of 
being  associated  in  church  life  with  the  company  of  be- 
lievers who  have  worshiped  and  wrought  within  these 
walls.  Coming  among  you  a  mere  boy,  here  in  this  very 
house  finding  Christ  the  first  year  of  my  sojourn  with 
you,  here  baptized,  here  married,  here  all  of  my  children 
brought  to  Christ  and  now  members  of  this  church. 
Surely  these  are  all  spiritual  blessings  of  greatest  value. 
"Lest  we  forget,"  let  us  here  and  now,  at  the  very  begin- 
ning of  this  paper,  look  up  to  our  God  and  acknowledge 
Him  as  the  loving  and  fruitful  source  of  all  our  mercies. 
Let  me  also  place  on  record  my  sincere,  heartfelt  and  last- 
ing appreciation  of  all  the  kindness,  love,  sympathy  and 


20 

helpfulness  that  have  come  to  me  and  mine  through  this 
Church  of  God  during  all  the  years  that  are  past.  Truly 
can  I  say: 

Here  my  best  friends, 

My  kindred,  dwell. 

Here   Christ,   my   Saviour,   reigfns. 

I  have  been  asked  to  speak  on  "Blessings  realized 
from  Spiritual  Development  during  the  past  Fifty 
Years."  As  a  guide  to  our  thought  I  give  you  a  text,  and 
it  shall  be  Psalm  i :  3.  "Like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers 
of  water,  that  bringeth  forth  his  fruit  in  his  season." 

Fifty  years  ago,  on  November  25,  1851,  a  spiritual 
tree  was  planted  in  the  town  of  Bloomfield.  That  tree  was 
called  the  First  Baptist  Church.  Since  that  time,  during 
sunshine  and  shadow,  in  winter's  cold  and  summer's  heat, 
in  times  of  adversity  or  prosperity,  it  has  continued  to 
grow,  having  enjoyed  to  an  eminent  degree  the  blessing 
of  God  and  the  faithful  cultivation  of  His  servants.  The 
names  of  Meeson,  Pratt,  Smith,  Stubbert,  Simons  and 
Cook  are  indelibly  cut  into  this  tree,  not  simply  through 
the  bark,  but  reaching  down  deep  into  its  very  heart. 
Faithful  officers  and  a  devoted  membership  have  contrib- 
uted not  a  little  to  its  growth  and  fruitfulness.  The  hands 
of  the  thirteen  faithful  Christians  who  planted  it  have  near- 
ly all  become  still  in  death,  but  the  work  they  did  has  gone 
on  and  on,  bearing  precious  fruit.  The  names  of  Clark, 
Brower,  Ward,  Looker,  Cairns,  Crane,  Sanford,  Sher- 
wood and  Vanderpool  will  long  be  held  in  loving  remem- 
brance by  the  Baptist  church  of  Bloomfield,  while  many 
associated  with  them  in  blessed  holy  service  in  years  that 
followed  shall  not  be  forgotten :  the  Fishers,  the  Willets, 
the  Gilberts,  Hagues,  Cadmus,  Powers,  Omberson  and  a 
host  of  others.     Spiritual  development  is  a  matter  not  of 


21 


adding  to  from  without,  but  of  unfolding  from  within, 
and  yet  in  a  real  and  true  sense,  that  which  during  past 
years  has  been  added  to  the  church  from  without,  became 
at  once  a  part  of  its  life  and  of  its  producing  power.  In 
the  infancy  of  the  church,  there  were  the  same  ingredients 
in  its  spiritual  life  as  now  exist.  The  same  kind  of  faith, 
of  love,  of  hope,  of  joy.  The  same  grace  of  giving,  the 
same  grace  of  saving,  the  same  spirit  of  prayer,  the  same 
missionary  zeal,  the  same  blessed  spirit  of  self-denial  and 
of  loving  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ.  We  glorify  God,  and 
honor  His  people,  when  we  say  that  from  the  day  this 
spiritual  tree  was  planted,  there  has  been  a  gradual  un- 
folding and  developing  of  these  graces.  Slow  perhaps, 
but  sure,  as  the  years  have  passed,  as  numbers  have  in- 
creased, as  opportunities  have  offered,  as  occasion  has 
demanded.  The  blessings  realized  at  the  beginning  were 
the  same  in  kind  as  now.  We  sat  down  then  under  the 
shadow  of  this  tree  with  great  delight  and  its  fruit  was 
sweet  to  our  taste,  and  since  then  under  each  successive 
pastorate  has  its  shade  and  its  fruits  been  abundant. 

There  are  certain  things  true  of  a  tree  that  are  true 
of  this  church.  A  tree  adds  beauty  to  a  place,  it  affords 
shade  to  the  people,  it  yields  fruit  in  its  season,  it  produces 
others  of  its  own  kind ;  and  can  we  not  say  of  this  spiritual 
tree,  that  in  all  these  things  it  has  been  a  real  Tree  of  Life  ? 
It  is  said  of  the  palm  tree,  to  which  the  church  in  its 
individual  membership  is  likened,  that  in  all  its  varied 
and  multiplied  developments  it  has  365  uses,  or  one  for 
every  day  in  the  year.  We  accept  the  figure  and  claim 
for  the  "blessings  realized"  from  our  spiritual  tree  of 
half  a  century's  growth,  a  blessing  for  every  day  in  the 
year  and  for  all  the  years  that  have  passed  since  first  the 
hands  of  the  seven  holy  zvomen  and  six  godly  men,  thir- 
teen in  all,  planted  it  in  the  soil  of  Bloomfield.     It  may 


22 

have  been  an  unlucky  number,  but  at  all  events  the  "better 
half"  had  the  majority,  and  the  developments  of  after 
years  exploded  the  superstitious  notion. 

In  a  large  degree  material  blessings  are  the  result  of 
mental  and  spiritual  development,  hence  we  may  judge  of 
the  latter  by  the  former.  Many  a  beautiful  house  or  insti- 
tution is  an  index  of  a  loving  heart,  an  intelligent  culti- 
vated mind,  an  enlarged  and  a  liberal  spirit.  We,  there- 
fore, simply  point  you  for  a  moment  to  the  gradual  en- 
largement or  unfolding,  or  if  you  please  the  evolution  of 
the  various  material  blessings  that  we  as  a  church  enjoy 
to-day. 

At  first,  a  little  school-house  on  the  hill,  perhaps 
25x15  feet  in  size,  on  which  cut  in  a  tablet  of  stone  was 
this  inscription : 


The  West  End  of  This 

House  Built  in  1758. 

The  East  End 

IN  the  Year  1782. 


This  either  speaks  loudly  to  us  of  the  slowness  of  builders 
in  those  days,  or  else  of  the  mighty  strides  the  spirit 
of  education  has  made  in  these  latter  days.  On  the  top, 
and  near  the  rear  end  of  this  modest  little  house  of  wor- 
ship was  a  bell,  with  rope  hanging  conveniently  near 
the  pastor's  desk.  We  are  told  that  when  it  was  no 
more  needed  to  call  the  flock  together  to  the  top  of  Zion's 
Hill  on  Franklin  street,  it  was  used  by  the  railroad  com- 


23 

pany  as  a  depot  bell, — that  afterward  it  found  an  hon- 
ored place  in  the  belfry  of  an  Episcopal  chapel.  We 
can  imagine  the  little  band  of  disciples  Sabbath  after 
Sabbath,  climbing  the  hill,  viewing  the  landscape  o'er, 
and  enjoying  to  the  fullest  extent  the  meagre  accom- 
modations that  were  then  at  their  disposal. 

Succeeding  and  taking  the  place  of  this  house  on  the 
hill,  we  find  the  stately  and  then  very  commodious  build- 
ing in  the  very  centre  of  the  town,  the  surprise  of  many 
and  the  joy  of  more.  Later  on  we  see  another  change  or 
evolution  and  behold  our  present  house  of  work  as  well  as 
house  of  worship,  with  great  bell  and  grand  organ  and  all 
modern  improvements  and  conveniences.  Many  will  re- 
member the  Sabbath-school  and  prayer  meeting  room 
in  the  basement,  with  the  infant  class  and  library  in  the 
little  room  in  the  corner;  with  the  great  "tea  canisters" 
for  heaters;  with  the  speaker's  desk  so  long  and  high 
that  the  leader  could  play  hide  and  seek  with  his  hearers ; 
good  hard  board  seats  that  would  not  let  you  go  to  sleep 
if  you  wanted  to,  and  bare  floor  that  gave  us  away  when 
we  came  in  late.  Well,  we  had  good  times  even  then 
and  were  happy  but  not  contented.  We  seemed  some- 
times, to  ourselves  at  least,  like  compressed  yeast  and 
felt  we  must  rise,  and  rise  we  did,  until  now  the  Sabbath- 
school  and  prayer  meeting  are  above  ground  and  able 
to  do  their  work  under  material  conditions  the  most 
favorable. 

Some  of  you  will  remember  the  evolution  of  the  bap- 
tistry. At  first  it  was  in  the  open  air — Willet's  Pond, 
Power's  Mill  Race,  Watsessing  Lake  or  Morris  Canal. 
We  will  not  say  we  have  improved  on  the  primitive  style 
when  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  the  burial  place  of  thou- 
sands of  willing  converts,  but  according  to  modern 
thought  we  have  made  progress.     From  the  outdoor  we 


24 

came  to  the  indoor,  a  good-sized  tank  under  the  platform, 
filled  for  the  first  time  with  buckets  of  water  from  neigh- 
boring wells,  then  with  hand  pump  and  cistern,  occupying 
many  hours  of  labor,  then  with  force  pump,  and  finally 
the  easy  and  quick  method  of  turning  the  faucet  and  let- 
ting the  water  run  until  our  good  sexton  cried,  "Enough !" 
But  we  must  not  linger  on  these  outward  signs  of 
our  inward  growth,  but  ask  your  attention  to  the  "Bless- 
ings realized  from  the  spiritual  development  of  the  past 
fifty  years."    We  think  of  these  as  five-fold : 

First.  Blessings  realized  by  the  individual. 

Second.  Blessings  realized  by  the  family. 

Third.  Blessings  realized  by  the  community. 

Fourth.  Blessings  realized  by  the  state. 

Fifth.  Blessings  realized  by  the  world. 

This  is  a  great  subject,  but  we  will  treat  it  briefly. 

First.  Blessings  realized  by  the  individual.  1252 
individuals  have  been  connected  with  the  church  as  mem- 
bers; 789  of  these  have  been  received  by  baptism,  thus 
indicating  that  these  for  the  most  part  have  here  been 
brought  to  a  knowledge  of  Christ.  As  there  is  joy  in  the 
presence  of  God  over  one  sinner  repenting  there  has  been 
joy  for  at  least  789  times  in  Heaven,  and  what  this  has 
meant  on  earth,  those  of  you  know  who  yourselves  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life.  Then  we  can  count  up  the 
difi^erent  individuals  who  have  been  associated  with  the 
Sabbath-school,  probably  3000  in  all,  who  have  been 
taught  the  great  truths  of  the  Bible,  whose  lives  have  been 
made  happier  and  holier  and  more  useful  because  of 
their  attendance  there.  Then  think  of  those  individuals 
who,  though  not  members  of  either  church  or  school, 
have  been  hearers  of  the  word,  have  sat  down  under  the 


25 

shade  of  this  spiritual  tree  with  delight  and  with  us  ate 
of  its  delicious  fruits.  Then  do  not  forget  the  remaining 
463  who  have  come  here  by  letter,  and  all  that  church 
membership  has  meant  to  them  of  personal  comfort,  help 
and  instruction. 

Second.  Blessings  realized  hy  the  family.  Homes 
are  centres  of  life,  circles  within  which  there  are  congre- 
gations and  concentrations.  Oh,  the  tragedies  in  the 
home  life!  Oh,  the  happiness  of  the  home  life!  Oh,  the 
joys  and  the  heartaches,  the  prosperities,  adversities,  the 
births,  the  deaths,  the  funerals  and  the  weddings.  The 
comfort  and  privations,  the  tears  and  the  laughter,  the 
meetings  and  the  partings,  and  all  of  these  varied  condi- 
tions and  experiences  are  just  so  many  golden  opportuni- 
ties for  the  exhibition  and  cultivation  and  application  of 
those  fruits  of  the  spirit  which  grow  upon  this  kind  of  a 
spiritual  tree.  Into  how  many  homes  of  Bloomfield  have 
come  the  gentle,  tender,  loving  ministrations  of  the  min- 
isters of  God,  who  during  the  past  fifty  years  have  served 
us.  And  this  sweet  service  has  not  been  confined  to  the 
ministers  alone,  but  the  membership  bound  together  by 
ties  of  Christian  love  have  gone  with  words  of  cheer,  of 
comfort  and  oft  with  material  help.  Eternity  will  alone 
reveal  the  fullness  of  this  blessing,  when  the  Great  Shep- 
herd of  the  sheep  will  say,  "I  was  hungry  and  ye  fed  Me, 
sick  and  ye  visited  Me,  in  prison  and  ye  came  unto  Me." 

Third.  Blessings  realized  hy  the  community.  If  you 
would  find  out  how  much  this  means,  go  into  some  place 
where  no  church  bell  is  heard,  no  Sabbath  is  observed,  no 
prayer  offered,  no  Sabbath-school  to  gather  the  children 
in.  No  minister  of  God  sounding  out  the  glad  tidings. 
Where  sin  and  Satan  have  supremacy  and  the  spirit  of 
this  world  holds  high  carnival.  Then  come  with  me  where 
the  beauty  and   shade  and   fruitfulness  of  this  blessed 


26 

spiritual  tree  is  found,  and  behold  the  world-wide  differ- 
ence. How  many  blessings  have  been  realized  by  this 
community  because  of  the  planting  of  this  church  of  God ! 
It  has  been  like  the  warm  breath  of  the  sunshine,  like  the 
refreshing  of  the  summer  shower,  and  without  recogniz- 
ing perhaps  the  source  of  the  blessing  many  have  rejoiced 
in  it.  Our  Church — her  voice  has  ever  been  heard  on 
the  side  of  righteousness,  of  good  government,  of  sobriety, 
of  Sabbath  keeping,  of  every  good  work  worthy  the  ad- 
vocacy of  manhood. 

Fourth.  Blessings  realized  by  the  state.  This  church 
did  not  at  the  beginning  build  a  little  wall  around  the 
town,  and  say  to  its  members  or  its  pastor,  thus  far  shalt 
thou  go  but  no  further.  It  did  not  pray  that  little  prayer, 
"Oh,  Lord,  bless  me  and  my  wife,  my  son  John  and  his 
wife;  us  four  and  no  more";  but  its  faith  and  heart  and 
love  and  hands  went  out  to  the  regions  beyond,  to  those 
less  fortunate  than  ourselves,  and  so  from  the  beginning 
its  pastors  and  members  have  been  interested  in  the  state 
and  have  made  their  influence  felt  in  all  parts  of  it.  Our 
pastors  have  been  associated  with  the  state  convention 
and  associations  as  presidents  and  secretaries,  and  at  the 
present  time  our  beloved  brother  and  fellow-member, 
Mr,  D.  G.  Garabrant,  is  the  honored  and  highly  successful 
Treasurer  of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Missionary  Con- 
vention. The  record  of  the  gifts  of  our  church  and  Sab- 
bath-school and  our  young  people's  societies  will  show 
how  large  and  how  practical  have  been  the  blessings 
realized  by  the  State  of  New  Jersey  because  of  the 
spiritual  development  of  the  past  fifty  years. 

Fifth  and  lastly.  Blessings  realized  by  the  zvorld. 
We  have  not  been  unmindful  of  the  fact  that  the  great 
Head  of  the  Church  said,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,"  and 
we  have  gone — by  our  prayers,  by  our  sympathies,  by  our 


27 

gifts,  and  by  at  least  one  member  who  is  now  on  the  for- 
eign field,  Brother  William  C.  Owen.  If  we  could  not  all 
go  in  person,  we  could  send.  In  all  the  years  that  are  past, 
the  stream  has  been  flowing  outward  and  onward,  encir- 
cling the  globe.  We  have  believed  that  the  way  to  in- 
crease was  to  scatter,  to  get  was  to  give,  and  having  been 
blessed  with  faithful  ministers  who  believed  the  gospel 
was  for  the  world,  we  have  been  fighting  it  out  on  this 
line  until,  not  satisfied  with  past  endeavors,  we  have  under 
our  present  pastor  (who  is  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of 
missions),  been  supporting  our  own  missionary,  Rev.  J. 
M.  Carvel,  on  the  foreign  field.  It  will  be  too  long  a  jour- 
ney to  take  you  with  me  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  to  find  out 
the  full  sum  of  blessings  realized  by  the  world — this  takes 
in  our  own  beloved  land,  as  well  as  all  other  parts  of  God's 
earth,  but  I  can  ask  you  to  wait  with  me  until  the  end  of 
the  world  and  then  listen  to  the  story  as : 

"From  Greenland's  icy  mountains, 

From   India's   coral    strand, 
Where  Afric's  sunny  fountains 

Roll  down  their  golden  sand. 
From  many  an  ancient  river, 

From  many  a  palmy  plain." 
They'll  call  us  to  remember, 

How  God  did  break  their  chain. 

As  we  close  these  remarks  we  feel  that  we  have  but 
given  you  a  few  drops,  while  the  great  ocean  of  God's 
blessings  realized  by  us  during  these  fifty  years  have  been 
unnamed.     Truly  we  can  say — 

There  have  been  showers  of  blessings 

Sent  from  the  Saviour  above, 
There  have  been  seasons  refreshing — 

All  the  good  gifts  of  His  love. 


28 

and  then  with  strong  faith  do  we  exclaim, 

There  shall  be  showers  of  blessing, 

Precious,  reviving  again, 
Over    the   hills    and    the   valleys 

Sound  of  abundance  of  raitL 

And  so  as  we  look  back  over  the  fifty  years  we  say 
with  the  Psalmist,  "God  hath  blessed  us,"  and  as  we  go 
forward  into  the  coming  years  we  say,  "He  will  bless  us," 
and  taking  up  the  words  of  the  poet,  declare : 

For  He  hath  been  with  us. 

And  He  still  is  with  us. 

And  He  will  be  with  us  to  the  end. 

ADDRESS. 
By  D.  G.  Garabrant. 


Subject. — Blessings  realized  from  financial  development. 


Let  us  consider  our  topic  with  reference  to  basis, 
methods^  figures,  causes  and  effects. 

Basis. 

No  one  can  read,  even  casually,  the  history  of  the 
early  days  of  this  church  without  being  impressed  that  the 
prominent  characteristics  of  the  little  band  who  organized 
it  were  faith  and  courage.  That  six  men  and  seven 
women, — representing  only  eight  families  or  parts  of 
families, — none  of  them  wealthy,  and  yet  it  is  only  fair  to 
say  none  very  poor,  should  undertake  the  financial  burden 
involved  in  the  purchase  of  this  property  and  the  erection 
of  this  house  of  worship,  is  certainly  evidence  either  of 


CHRISTOPHER  LANDAU. 

Trttstee,  1853-1855. 


CHARLES  FARRAND. 
Trustee,  1853-1854. 


CHARLES  W.  POWERS. 
Trustee,  1854-1858. 
Treasurer,  1854-1857. 


FREDERICK  GILBERT. 
Trustee,  1854-1858. 


29 

great  presumption  or  of  great  faith  and  courage.  For  be 
it  remembered,  it  was  only  one  week  after  the  thirteen 
organized  themselves  as  a  church  and  before  a  single 
addition  to  their  number  had  been  received,  that  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  purchase  a  lot  for  the  house  of 
worship.  We  do  not  forget  that  there  were  a  few  others, 
not  members,  in  thorough  sympathy  with  the  movement, 
but  aside  from  the  Willet  family  they  added  but  little 
financial  strength,  and  had  not  their  faith  and  courage 
been  magnificent,  they  would  have  said,  "We  ought  to 
wait  until  these  sympathizers  become  actual  members." 
To-day,  under  such  circumstances,  somebody  would 
surely  have  urged  that  thirteen  was  a  very  unlucky  num- 
ber to  start  with.  But  bravely,  with  faith  in  God  and  in 
themselves,  they  went  forward,  assuming  a  burden  before 
which  most  of  us,  even  with  a  larger  company  and 
greater  resources  than  theirs,  would  have  staggered  and 
halted. 

It  would  have  been  a  courageous  act  for  a  Presby- 
terian or  Methodist  church  to  have  done  the  same  thing, 
but  much  more  for  a  Baptist  church.  They  have  strong 
central  organizations  to  encourage  them,  but  a  Baptist 
church  is  absolutely  independent,  with  no  Presbytery  or 
Conference  back  of  it,  whose  moral  and  material  sup- 
port count  for  much. 

Their  faith  and  courage  were  also  evident  in  the  loca- 
tion selected  and  secured.  How  many  churches.  Baptist 
especially,  we  recall  in  poor  out-of-the-way  locations, 
because  the  lot  was  bought  cheaply.  This  little  band 
wisely  secured  the  very  best  unoccupied  site  in  the  village 
of  Bloomfield.  Faith  and  courage  were  further  shown 
in  the  erection  of  this  substantial  brick  and  stone  struc- 
ture instead  of  a  cheaper  wooden  building.  They  came 
to  stay. 


30 
Methods. 

The  principal  method  of  raising  money  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  church  was  by  straight-out  giving,  and  yet 
not  unnaturally  the  prevalent  methods  of  church  fairs, 
etc.,  were  soon  adopted  and  for  a  number  of  years  they 
were  a  means  somewhat  depended  on.  Although  no  one 
who  has  looked  into  the  subject  can  doubt  the  generosity 
of  the  members,  the  struggle  was  so  severe  and  the  little 
band  so  lacking  in  financial  strength  that  they  felt  under 
the  necessity  of  using  every  possible  aid.  After  the 
coming  of  Henry  F.  Smith,  as  pastor,  the  church  ad- 
vanced to  a  higher  platform  of  church  finance,  by  resolv- 
ing not  to  rely  upon  fairs,  festivals  or  other  devices  of 
similar  character.  To  make  up  what  was  needed  beyond 
the  income  from  pew-rents,  an  annual  subscription  was 
circulated.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  their  finances 
were  more  successful  than  before  and  from  that  day  to 
this  the  church  has  never  wanted  to  return  to  the  un- 
scriptural  methods  they  had  abandoned. 

Another  upward  step  was  taken  during  this  same 
pastorate,  by  the  Sunday-school  voting  that  its  entire 
offerings  taken  Sunday  by  Sunday  should  be  appropri- 
ated for  missionary  or  benevolent  work.  Previous  to  this, 
while  the  bulk  of  the  funds  thus  secured  had  gone  to 
missionary  purposes,  a  portion  had  occasionally  been 
applied  to  home  expenses,  Sunday-school  library,  etc. 
This  principle  of  using  the  entire  Sunday-school  offering 
for  benevolent  work  has  been  strictly  adhered  to  ever 
since. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Stubbert  another  ad- 
vanced step  was  taken  by  making  all  pews  free  and  rely- 
ing absolutely  on  the  freewill  offerings  of  the  people  for 
the  support  of  the  church.     An  immediate  improvement 


31 

resulted  and  while  there  have  since  been  financial  prob- 
lems to  face,  they  have  been  met,  and  successfully,  in  the 
same  spirit  which  inspired  these  advanced  steps. 

The  last  few  years  the  church  has,  under  the  strong 
teaching  of  Pastor  Cook,  still  further  advanced  its  posi- 
tion by  taking  a  largely  increased  interest  in  benevolent 
and  missionary  work.  Pre-eminent  among  the  features  of 
this  larger  interest  is  the  support,  at  an  expense  of  $i,ooo 
per  annum,  of  Rev.  John  M.  Carvell  and  wife,  mission- 
aries to  Assam,  India.  The  benevolent  record  throughout 
the  entire  fifty  years  has  been  most  creditable,  but  the  last 
three  or  four  years  it  has  been  grand.  This  is  the  more 
noteworthy  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  church  has  been 
raising  a  considerable  amount  each  year  since  1891  for 
the  payment  of  its  mortgage,  in  addition  to  providing  for 
usual  current  expenses.  This  experience  has  again  proven 
that  home  work  never  suffers  through  generosity  to  work 
abroad. 

Figures. 

We  will  not  weary  you  with  many  figures.  The  total 
contributions  for  all  purposes,  by  decades,  have  been  as 
follows : 

First  decade  to   1861 $18,168  85 

Second    "       to  1871 27,140  85 

Third      "       to  1881 30,554  03 

Fourth    "       to  1891 40,272  86 

Fifth        "       to   1901 77,856  52* 

A  grand  total  of $193,993   ^^ 

*The  amount  here  given  is  to  December  31,  1901,  instead  of  to 
end  of  the  fifty  years,  November  25. 


32 

There  has  been  a  general  development  during  the 
entire  history  of  the  church,  in  its  financial  operations, 
and  benevolence  has  more  than  kept  pace  with  home  ex- 
penditures, but,  as  already  remarked,  the  benevolent 
offerings  as  compared  with  expenditures  for  home  work 
have  shown  a  most  remarkable  increase  during  the  present 
pastorate,  as  will  be  evident  from  the  following  figures : 

Benevolent  offerings,  1888 $811  69 

1900 2,835  51 

A  gain  of  about  350  per  cent. 

Home  expenditures,  1888 $2,060  32 

"  '•'  1900 4,892   18 

A  gain  of  about  225  per  cent. 

In  the  amount  for  home  expenses  in  1900  is  included 
amount  raised  toward  payment  of  mortgage. 

The  average  contributions  per  member  for  all  ob- 
jects in  all  Baptist  churches  of  this  state,  reported  for  the 
year  1900,  was  $10.32.  The  average  per  member  for  that 
year  in  this  church  was  $17.68.  On  benevolent  offerings 
alone  the  average  for  the  state  per  Baptist  member  in 
1900  was  $1.64.  The  average  per  member  of  this  church 
for  past  ten  years  has  been  $5.42  per  year. 

The  statistics  for  1900,  as  given  in  the  State  Annual 
for  that  year,  shows  only  six  Baptist  churches  in  New 
Jersey  raising  more  money  than  this  church,  though 
there  are  twenty-two  churches  with  larger  membership. 

Causes. 

Among  the  causes  which  have  aided  to  secure  this 
grand  record  of  financial  development  we  would  suggest 
the  following : 

First.  The  possession  of  thoroughly  evangelical  pas- 
tors. All  the  pastors — we  can  with  special  emphasis  speak 


33 

of  Pastors  Smith,  Stubbert..  Simons  and  Cook,  having 
known  them  intimately — have  been  men  who  beheved  the 
Bible  thoroughly  and  were  in  fullest  sympathy  with  the 
conviction  that  all  men  need  the  Gospel  and  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  church  to  give  it  to  them  at  home  and  abroad. 

Second.  Discarding  all  questionable  means  for  rais- 
ing money  for  the  Lord's  work.  Beyond  doubt  the  most 
expensive  and  least  effective  means  of  securing  money  for 
church  work  is  by  means  of  fairs,  suppers,  entertainments, 
etc.  Let  Christians  resolve  to  give  directly  to  the  cause 
the  same  amount  that  they  spend  indirectly  for  the  same 
object  and  there  will  be  no  lack  of  means.  A  gentleman 
recently  told  me  of  a  church  fair  in  which  his  wife  was 
greatly  interested.  She  bought  silk  and  other  materials 
costing  nearly  ten  dollars  and  then  being  very  expert  with 
the  needle  produced  after  days  of  careful  work  some  beau- 
tiful object  and  donated  it  to  the  fair.  It  was  finally  sold 
at  auction  in  the  wind-up  for  some  five  or  six  dollars. 
Direct  giving  would  have  saved  the  lady  much  work  and 
the  church  would  have  received  nearly  twice  as  much. 

Third.  Making  Christian  giving  not  a  burden  nor  a 
mere  duty,  but  a  privilege  and  based  on  principle.  Many 
members  of  the  church  have  this  conception  of  the  matter 
and  are  striving  to  act  as  stewards  for  their  Master,  and 
are  giving  a  definite  portion  of  their  income  for  His  work. 
When  all  God's  people  accept  and  adopt  this  view  of  their 
financial  obligations  in  connection  with  Christian  giving 
there  will  be  no  lack  of  means. 

Fourth.  While  every  pastor  has  held  up  high  ideals 
and  exerted  true  influence  in  the  financial  affairs  of  the 
church  it  is  only  proper  to  say  that  Pastor  Cook  has  made 
an  exceptional  record  in  that  respect  and  in  large  measure 
the  splendid  record  of  the  past  few  years  is  due  to  his 
explicit  and  forceful  teaching  and  influence. 


34 
Effects, 

It  is  our  conviction  that  other  departments  of  church 
life  and  activity  have  been  helped  through  the  existence 
of  Scriptural  and  noble  methods  in  the  finances.  We 
believe  it  has  had  much  to  do  with  the  maintenance  of 
the  beautiful  spirit  of  unity  and  harmony  which  has  been 
so  eminently  characteristic  of  the  church.  An  influence 
has  been  exerted  on  other  churches  which  has  been  stimu- 
lating and  inspiring.  The  Bloomfield  church  has  a  repu- 
tation as  exceptionally  successful  and  generous,  and  other 
churches  have  been  moved  to  follow  its  example. 

Now  all  this  may  seem  inclined  to  awaken  pride  and 
boasting,  but  such  should  not  be  the  result.  While  rejoic- 
ing in  the  record  just  recalled,  let  us  remember  that  the 
inspiration  to  do  has  been  from  God's  Spirit  and  the  abil- 
ity to  do  of  His  enabling,  and  say  "Not  unto  us,  O  Lord, 
not  unto  us,  but  unto  Thy  name  be  glory."  Nor  have  we 
yet  reached  the  standard,  so,  praising  Him  for  His  grace 
and  help  in  the  past,  let  us  seek  in  future  to  make  our 
financial  work  even  more  to  His  glory. 

ADDRESS. 
By  Chas.  G.  Russell. 


Subject. — Blessings  realized  from  organized  work. 


In  the  earliest  days  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church  it  was  found  wise  to  carry  on  its  varied  activi- 
ties through  organizations  formed  for  that  purpose, 
and  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  The  Acts  we  read  of  a  com- 
mittee of  seven,  organized  in  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  to 
have  charge  of  certain  of  its  business ;  and  from  that  time 


CHARLES  GILBERT. 
Trustee,  1856-1857. 
"  1859-1894. 


GEORGE  HALL. 
Trustee,  1S56-1857. 


JOSEPH  HAGUE. 
Deacon,  1857-1865. 
Trustee,  1857-1861. 
Treasurer,  1S58-1860. 
Clgrk,  1860-1866. 


WM.  J.  OMBERSON. 
Trustee,  1856-1866. 
Deacon,  1862-1868. 


35 

tintil  the  present  organizations  have  been  used  of  God  for 
the  blessing  of  His  own  people  and  the  spreading  abroad 
of  the  good  tidings  of  the  Gospel. 

Much  of  the  work  of  our  own  church  during  the  ^ 

greater  part  of  its  history  has  been  accomplished  by  means 
of  its  organizations,  some  of  which  remain  and  are  doing 
good  service  to-day,  while  others  having  fulfilled  their 
mission  have  passed  away  or  been  merged  into  other  socie- 
ties which  with  better  equipment  are  filling  a  larger  sphere 
of  usefulness. 

It  would  indeed  be  both  interesting  and  profitable  to 
review  the  histories  of  the  organizations  which  are  or 
have  been  a  vital  part  of  our  church  life,  but  it  is  our  pur- 
pose to-night  to  present  briefly  the  blessings  realized  from 
organized  work;  realized  by  ourselves  and  by  others  to 
whom  the  blessings  have  been  extended. 

With  us,  as  with  so  many  other  churches,  the  women 
have  been  an  important  factor,  and  at  no  time  in  our 
history  have  we  lacked  for  those  who,  like  Lydia  and 
Dorcas  of  old,  were  zealous  in  good  works ;  it  is  there- 
fore fitting  that  we  should  first  consider  the  blessings 
arising  from  the  organized  efforts  of  our  sisters  in  Christ. 

Heading  the  list  are  the  Women's  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Societies  with  their  long  and  useful  careers, 
whose  meetings  have  been  the  means  of  fostering  the 
missionary  spirit  in  the  sisters  of  the  church,  whose  con- 
tributions of  money  have  been  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  mis- 
sion field  at  home  and  abroad,  and  whose  prayers  accom- 
panying their  gifts  have  made  them  more  effective. 
Surely  many  far-away  corners  of  the  home  land  and  the 
remoter  parts  of  the  earth  are  sharing  in  the  blessings  of 
these  organizations ;  and  to-day  missionaries,  colporteurs, 
Bible  readers  and  Christian  workers,  some  of  whom  have 
been  brought  out  of  the  superstition  and  degradation  of 


36 

heathenism,  are  spreading  still  farther  the  gracious  in- 
fluences set  in  motion  by  these  societies,  and  who  shall 
say  where  the  circling  waves  of  blessings  shall  finally 
find  rest  ? 

Then,  too,  there  are  missionaries  laboring  on  the 
frontiers  of  our  own  country  whose  hearts  have  been 
made  glad  by  the  receipt  of  boxes  or  barrels,  proof  of 
the  loving  interest  of  Christian  women  of  an  Eastern 
church,  and  whose  contents  helped  to  supplement  an 
income  all  too  small. 

Surely  many  times  has  joy  come  to  the  hearts  of  the 
members  of  these  organizations  as  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments have  caused  them  to  realize  that  it  is  indeed  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

What  the  organizations  just  mentioned  have  done  for 
the  women  of  the  church  the  Farther  Lights  Circle  is 
doing  for  our  young  ladies;  China  and  Assam,  as  well 
as  the  great  city  across  the  Hudson,  are  partakers  of  the 
blessings  resulting  from  their  works. 

Study  of  mission  fields  and  the  problems  connected 
with  them  has  brought  to  this  circle  a  broader  outlook,  a 
better  comprehension  of  God's  dealings  with  the  nations, 
a  keener  sympathy  with  missionaries  and  their  helpers,  a 
deeper  love  for  the  Saviour  and  a  stronger  interest  in  His 
world-wide  work  for  the  salvation  of  men,  and  thus  has 
blessing  returned  in  full  measure. 

How  beneficent  and  multiform  have  been  the  labors, 
how  many  homes  have  been  brightened,  how  many  sick- 
rooms cheered,  how  many  needs  supplied  and  how  much 
suffering  relieved  by  the  gentle  ministry  of  the  various 
circles  of  King's  Daughters  that  have  from  time  to  time 
worked  in  connection  with  this  church. 

The  mission  in  Glenwood  Avenue,  Mountainside 
Hospital,  St.  John's  Guild,  the  workers  in  the  slums  of 


37 

the  cities  and  many  other  worthy  objects  have  been  the 
recipients  of  their  benefactions  and  have  abundant  cause 
to  be  grateful  to  those  who  have  in  "His  Name"  given 
liberally  of  time  and  means. 

But  what  would  our  church  be  without  its  Mite 
Society  ?  Truly  may  it  be  said  its  mites  are  mighty.  Go 
to  our  treasurer  and  ask  of  him  "Do  you  know  of  bless- 
ings realized  from  the  efforts  of  the  Mite  Society  ?"  and  he 
will  testify  of  financial  burdens  made  lighter  by  the  work 
and  self-denial  of  its  members  through  their  repeated  con- 
tributions to  the  church  treasury ;  or  inquire  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  and  they  will  tell  of  furniture,  of  carpets  and 
of  other  material  comforts  made  possible  by  their  co-op- 
eration, and  how  large  a  number  of  those  present  have 
on  many  occasions  been  partakers  of  their  generous  hos- 
pitality. 

Verily  many  blessings  have  been  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  Mite  Society,  and  were  they  asked  what  has 
been  your  share  of  these  benefits,  we  are  sure  the  reply 
would  be  "the  joy  of  serving  this  loved  church  and  its 
glorious  Head." 

Our  young  people  have  for  many  years  been  organ- 
ized for  special  work  and  their  societies  under  various 
names  have  wrought  for  the  good  of  our  young  men  and 
women  along  social,  intellectual  and  spiritual  lines.  Some 
in  the  room  this  evening  will  recall  with  tender  memories 
the  young  people's  prayer  meetings,  which  at  first  were 
held  in  the  little  room  in  the  basement  now  known  as  the 
kitchen,  but  later,  because  of  increasing  attendance,  were 
transferred  to  the  present  dining-room ;  in  those  meetings 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  often  manifested  in  power,  souls 
were  saved  and  the  room  rang  with  praise  and  testimony 
from  those  rejoicing  in  a  new-found  hope.  Many  are 
there  to-night,  some  perhaps  here  present  and  others  in 


38 

distant  parts  of  the  land,  to  whom  the  rooms  below  are 
veritable  Bethels,  for  there  God  met  and  blessed  them. 

Fond  recollection  carries  us  back  also  to  the  social 
side  of  these  associations  and  recalls  the  gatherings  which 
bound  the  young  people  together  in  fraternal  regard,  or 
to  the  meetings  which  through  study  and  reading  sought 
their  mental  improvement. 

But  these  are  of  the  past  and  to-day  are  overshad- 
owed by  the  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  En- 
deavor, the  giant  of  young  people's  organizations,  with 
its  fuller  equipment  for  service,  its  many  committees, 
special  literature,  systematic  plans  for  Bible  study,  and 
its  local,  county  and  national  conventions,  bringing  our 
Christian  youth  into  contact  and  sympathy  with  those  of 
other  denominations,  widening  their  field  of  usefulness 
and  increasing  the  possibilities  of  their  being  blessed  and 
of  becoming  a  blessing  to  others. 

While  only  eternity  can  fully  measure  the  influence 
exerted  for  good  by  the  banding  together  of  our  young 
people  in  this  society,  whose  aim  is  found  in  its  motto, 
"For  Christ  and  the  Church,"  the  careful  observer  of 
church  life  to-day  can  readily  see  the  advantages  derived 
from  utilizing  the  freshness  and  vigor  of  our  younger 
members. 

Any  organization  which  persistently  seeks  the  up- 
building of  young  Christians,  and  their  training  for  active 
service,  both  in  word  and  deed,  is  rendering  a  service  of 
inestimable  value  to  the  present  and  future  generations, 
and  this  we  believe  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  is 
accomplishing;  therefore  we  are  grateful  to  God  to-day 
for  the  blessing  of  young  people  thoroughly  grounded 
in  the  word  of  God  and  furnished  for  every  good  work, 
and  we  look  forward  with  confidence  to  the  future,  fully 
believing  that  when  the  time  comes  when  those  who  are 


39 

now  manfully  and  faithfully  bearing  the  heat  and  burden 
of  the  day  must  cease  from  their  labors,  there  will  be 
found  graduates  of  the  Endeavor  Society  ready  to  assume 
the  burdens  and  fully  qualified  to  carry  on  the  Lord's 
work. 

Linked  to  this  organization  is  the  Junior  Society  of 
Christian  Endeavor,  which  is  carrying  on  a  similar  work 
among  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  church  and  congrega- 
tion, and  what  a  blessed  service  it  is,  and  how  full  of 
promise  for  the  future,  that  our  boys  and  girls  so  early 
in  life  should  be  brought  to  know  the  riches  of  God's 
word,  encouraged  to  use  their  voices  in  the  service  of  the 
Master  in  public  prayer  and  testimony,  and  be  given  a 
knowledge  of  and  an  interest  in  missions  at  home  and 
abroad. 

Thank  God  that  our  children  have  in  the  Junior 
Society  advantages  that  we  never  knew.  May  the  heart 
of  every  parent  whose  boys  and  girls  are  connected  with 
this  organization  experience  the  joy  and  blessing  of  see- 
ing them  while  young  brought  into  the  fold  of  the  Good 
Shepherd. 

Nor  can  we  forget  the  work  that  some  years  ago 
was  begun  by  that  sainted  woman  of  God,  Mrs.  Mary 
Rassbach,  in  the  Glenwood  Avenue  Mission;  right  nobly 
did  she  and  her  faithful  associates  labor  and  the  Lord  of 
the  vineyard  rewarded  their  fidelity  and  gave  them  a  har- 
vest of  souls. 

Changing  conditions  made  it  wise  that  the  work 
should  cease,  but  the  blessing  still  continues,  finding  testi- 
mony in  changed  lives  and  gladdened  homes  and  joyous 
echo  in  the  hearts  of  those  sacrificing  time  and  comfort 
for  the  good  of  others  and  the  glory  of  God. 

These,  brethren,  are  but  few  of  the  manifold  bless- 
ings realized  from  the  organized  work  of  this  loved  church, 


40 

and  I  doubt  not  that  many  great  and  important  benefits 
have  been  omitted  from  this  fragmentary  and  imperfect 
review;  but  inadequate  as  their  presentation  has  been, 
should  we  not  be  moved  with  profound  gratitude  to  the 
Heavenly  Father  and  be  ready  to  exclaim  with  the  Psalm- 
ist, "I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times,  His  praise  shall  con- 
tinually be  in  my  mouth." 


THOMAS   PEACOCK. 
Trustee,  1862-1863. 


THEODORE  R.  BEARDSLEY. 
Trustee,  1863-1864. 
Deacon,  1889-1890. 


DAVID  WINANS. 
Trustee,  1865-1870. 


ELDRIDGE   VAN  DE  WERKEN. 
Trustee,  1867-1886. 
Deacon,  1868-1886. 


SJvtJbrUi^je  JB^gf* 


Monday,  November  25th,  was  Jubilee  Day,  for  it 
was  on  that  date,  1851,  that  the  church  was  organized. 
Special  interest  centred  in  the  exercises  of  the  day,  and 
before  the  close  of  the  evening  service  the  tide  of  joyous 
enthusiasm  ran  very  high.  The  feeling  of  gladness  began 
to  manifest  itself  in  the  afternoon  at  four  o'clock,  when 
a  members'  reunion  was  held  in  the  school-room.  For  an 
hour  and  a  half,  former  members  gladly  greeted  one 
another,  renewed  old  friendships  and  rejoiced  with  the 
present  members.  Among  those  present  was  Mrs.  Henry 
F.  Smith,  of  Mount  Holly,  N.  J.,  whose  late  husband  was 
pastor  from  1858  to  1869.  Hanging  on  the  walls  of  the 
room  was  a  collection  of  photographs  of  nearly  all  the 
men  who  had  served  the  church  as  pastors,  deacons,  trus- 
tees, clerks,  treasurers,  or  Sunday-school  superintendents. 
There  were  about  forty  pictures  in  all,  arranged  in 
groups  by  Deacon  J.  B.  Maxfield.  These  pictures  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  both  former  and  present  mem- 
bers. 

Equally  interesting  was  a  unique  and  most  complete 
membership  memorial  roll  and  cabinet,  which  had  been 
designed  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Hewes.    A  brief  description  of  it 

(40 


42 

will  doubtless  prove  interesting.  The  cabinet  contains 
a  web  of  cloth-lined  paper  over  thirty  feet  in  length,  upon 
which  are  inscribed  the  names  of  the  1252  persons  who 
united  with  the  church  during  the  fifty  years  of  its  his- 
tory. A  colored  line  opposite  each  name  indicates  at  a 
glance  just  when  the  individual  became  a  member,  and 
stopping  at  the  right  year  space,  how  long  the  member- 
ship continued.  If  the  person's  membership  ceased  for  a 
time,  and  was  then  renewed,  the  break  in  membership  is 
shown  by  a  corresponding  break  in  the  color  line.  It 
also  indicates  in  what  pastorate  each  person  became  con- 
nected with  the  church.  If  the  member  occupied  an 
official  position,  that  fact  is  indicated  and  also  the  years 
of  such  service.  Diagrams  also  appear  showing  the  mem- 
bership at  the  close  of  each  year  and  the  financial  record 
of  the  church  in  the  amount  of  money  raised  in  each  of  the 
fifty  years  for  home  expenses  and  for  benevolence;  also 
the  reduction  each  year  of  the  mortgage  debt  incurred  in 
erection  of  Sunday-school  room.  This  unique  cabinet  will 
itself  remain  a  most  interesting  and  valuable  memorial  of 
the  jubilee  celebration,  the  passing  years  adding  more  and 
more  to  its  value  as  an  historical  record  of  an  unusual 
character. 

At  5.30  a  collation  was  served  in  the  dining-room 
of  the  church  during  which  delightful  sociability  pre- 
vailed everywhere. 


43 

At  the  evening  service  the  church  was  filled  with  an 
eager,  expectant  congregation.  The  pastor  presided. 
Greetings  were  read  from  former  members  of  the  church 
now  living  at  a  distance,  among  these  messages  being  one 
from  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Ward,  one  of  the  constituent  mem- 
bers, who  on  account  of  feeble  health  was  unable  to  be 
present.  The  greeting  of  the  Sunday-school  to  the 
church,  given  on  page  17,  was  read  by  Superintendent 
F.  B.  Stone,  and  was  warmly  received.  An  historical 
paper,  given  in  full  on  subsequent  pages,  was  read  by 
Mr.  D.  G.  Garabrant.  This  was  followed  by  the  pre- 
sentation by  the  treasurer  of  a  financial  statement,  show- 
ing receipts  and  expenditures  in  building  the  new  school- 
room, after  which  the  mortgage,  which  had  been  canceled, 
was  duly  cremated  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Maxfield,  president  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  assisted  by  Mr.  D.  G.  Garabrant, 
the  treasurer.  The  burning  of  the  document  was  received 
with  hearty  applause  and  waving  of  handkerchiefs  by 
the  audience.  Joy  filled  all  hearts  as  the  people  realized 
that  years  of  labor  and  self-sacrificing  giving  had  resulted 
in  this  long-looked-for  consummation.  After  the  paper 
had  been  reduced  to  ashes  Mr.  Maxfield  delighted  the 
audience  by  reading  the  poem  entitled  "No  Mortgage  on 
the  Church,"  which  is  given  on  pages  69,  etc. 

This  service,  so  full  of  glad  good  things,  was  made 
all  the  more  enjoyable  by  the  singing  of  a  duet  by  Mrs.  W. 


44 

H.  Burn  and  Mr.  E.  M.  Healy,  entitled  "Peace  to  This 
Dwelling,"  and  a  solo,  by  Mr.  Robert  J.  Black,  entitled 
"Praise  Ye  the  Lord."  The  service  closed  appropriately 
with  a  solo  and  chorus,  "Glorious  Day  in  Zion."  Mrs. 
Franklin  A.  Stone  presided  at  the  organ. 

HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE  FIRST  BAPTIST 
CHURCH   OF   BLOOMFIELD,   N.   J. 

By  D.  G.  Garabrant. 


Early  Bloom  field  Baptists. 

In  some  parts  of  New  Jersey,  Baptists  were  among 
the  early  settlers,  having  organized  churches  in  1688  at 
Middletown,  Monmouth  County;  in  1689  at  Piscataway 
(now  Stelton),  Union  County,  and  in  1690  at  Cohansey, 
Cumberland  County.  There  are  also  now  in  existence 
eighteen  Baptist  churches  in  various  parts  of  the  state 
which  were  organized  in  the  eighteenth  century,  the  near- 
est to  Bloomfield  being  those  at  Scotch  Plains,  Morris- 
town,  and  Lyons  Farms. 

Bloomfield  and  neighboring  towns,  however,  were 
settled  by  people  of  Presbyterian  faith,  and  all  Baptist 
churches  about  here  are  of  comparatively  recent  date. 
Until  after  1850,  the  "old  church,"  as  it  is  called — erected 
by  the  First  Presbyterian  Congregation,  at  the  head  of 
the  Park,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century — was  the 
only  church  in  the  village  of  Bloomfield.  although  it  had 
then  become  a  place  of  some  2000  inhabitants.  There  was 
a  little  Methodist  church  on  what  was  called  the  Faterson 
road    (now  Broad  street),   above  "Bay  lane,"  about  a 


45 

mile  out  of  town,  and  both  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
churches  at  West  Bloomfield  (now  Montclair),  which  was 
then  in  Bloomfield  township.  In  Bloomfield  village,  how- 
ever, the  "old  church"  had  the  field  to  itself  until  our 
church  was  built  in  1853,  followed  closely  by  the  Park 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  the  same  or  following  year. 

Although  occasionally  Baptists  resided  in  Bloom- 
field prior  to  1850,  they  were  too  few  in  number  to  set  up 
the  standard  in  a  community  so  little  in  sympathy  with 
their  peculiar  views  and  convictions.  Among  the  very  few 
having  Baptist  principles  of  whom  we  have  learned  as 
residents  here  prior  to  1850,  were  a  Mr.  Miller  and  a  Mr. 
Owen,  who  lived  here  about  181 5  to  1820,  and  who  with 
one  Presbyterian  and  one  Methodist  started  a  union  meet- 
ing at  the  school-house  in  the  Montgomery  neighborhood, 
on  the  eastern  border  of  the  town.  Also,  a  Mr.  Conry, 
who  about  the  same  time  resided  here  and  attended  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  who  was  known  by  the  distinct- 
ive name  of  "the  Baptist."  Other  early  Baptist  residents 
were  Mrs.  William  B.  Davey  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Dodd — 
whose  Baptist  views  were  well  known  from  her  regular 
trips  to  New  York  to  attend  communion,  a  trip  to  New 
York  being  quite  a  journey  in  those  days — and  about 
1835,  Thomas  Day  and  family.  All  these,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Mrs.  Dodd,  had  left  the  place  before  any  move 
was  made  known  towards  organizing  a  church. 

There  were,  however,  several  other  Baptists  who 
came  into  Bloomfield  during  the  first  half  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, who,  strong  in  Baptist  principles,  stood  ready  as  soon 
as  an  opportunity  offered  to  raise  a  standard  here.  These 
were  Mrs.  Charlotte  Vanderpool,  Samuel  A.  Brower, 
Uzal  D.  Ward  and  wife,  William  Clark  and  wife,  Sylves- 
ter P.  Looker,  Joshua  Crane  and  wife  and  Mrs.  Caro- 
line Sanford. 


46 

About  1850  there  moved  into  the  place  Charles  S. 
Willet,  not  then  a  church  member,  but  having  a  hearty- 
interest  in  religion,  and  a  Baptist  in  sentiment;  his  fam- 
ily were  in  sympathy  with  him,  and  at  least  one  member 
of  it,  Mrs.  Ann  L.  Fisher,  was  a  Baptist  member.  Also 
about  this  time  David  Cairns  and  his  wife,  staunch  and 
earnest  Baptists,  and  George  Sherwood,  whose  wife  was 
a  Baptist  member,  removed  to  Bloomfield.  These  few 
accessions,  although  they  brought  up  the  total  number 
of  Baptists  to  but  little  over  a  dozen,  seemed  to  be  all 
that  was  needed  to  justify  these  earnest  upholders  of  the 
truth  in  attempting  what  they  had  long  had  it  in  their 
hearts  to  do,  and  though  it  involved  earnest  and  hard 
work  they  were  ready  for  it. 

The  first  steps  toward  establishing  a  regular  meeting 
in  this  neighborhood  seem  to  have  contemplated  West 
Bloomfield  (or  Montclair)  as  the  location,  and  a  num- 
ber of  prayer  meetings  were  held  at  the  residence  of 
Joshua  Crane,  who  lived  there.  These  meetings  were 
aided  by  Rev.  J.  Q.  Adams,  then  pastor  at  Caldwell. 
This  was  about  1850.  As,  however,  Bloomfield  was  de- 
cidedly more  central  for  the  few  Baptists  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, the  meetings  at  West  Bloomfield  were  discon- 
tinued and  thought  was  turned  towards  a  permanent 
work  in  the  former  place. 

Organization. 

We  have  thus  briefly  sketched  the  history  of  Bap- 
tists here  previous  to  the  organization  of  a  church,  which 
occurred  in  the  autumn  of  1851,  just  fifty  years  ago.  On 
November  25th  of  that  year  the  brethren  and  sisters, 
though  few  in  number  and  weak  financially,  met  and 
organized. 


47 

The  following  constituent  members  signed  the  Arti- 
cles of  Faith  and  Covenant : 

William  Clark,  Samuel  A.  Brower,  Mrs.  Sarah  E. 
Ward,  Mrs. Charlotte  Vanderpool,  Mrs.  Hepzibah  Cairns, 
Mrs.  Clarissa  Crane,  Mrs.  Ann  E.  Sherwood,  Mrs.  Ellen 
Clark,  Uzal  D.  Ward,  Sylvester  P.  Looker,  David  Cairns, 
Joshua  Crane,  Mrs.  Caroline  Sandford.  in  all  thirteen 
persons. 

In  addition  to  the  Willet  family,  of  whom  we  have 
spoken  as  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  formation 
of  this  church,  there  should  be  mentioned  several  other 
earnest  consecrated  helpers.  Some  of  these  were  Baptist 
members  and  others  Baptist  only  in  conviction,  but  they 
were  all  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  movement  and  bore 
their  full  share  of  the  burden. 

These  constituent  helpers — if  not  constituent  mem- 
bers— were :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Willet,  Mrs.  Ann 
L.  Fisher,  Miss  Sarah  Willet,  Miss  Angle  A.  Fisher,  Miss 
Martha  Jones  (now  Mrs.  Henry  Spear),  Mrs.  Mary 
Davison,  Robert  Travis  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Cadmus. 

The  church  owes  much  to  these  helpers,  as  well  as 
to  the  original  members.  It  is  a  grand  thing  to  be  a 
helper — a  noble  office  open  to  every  one. 

Of  the  constituent  members  only  two  are  now  liv- 
ing— Mrs.  Clark  and  Mrs.  Ward.  Of  the  "constituent 
helpers"  three  still  remain  members  of  the  church  and 
helpers  as  of  yore;  they  are  Mrs.  Spear,  Miss  Fisher  and 
Mrs.  Cadmus. 

There  is  also  still  with  us  one  who,  although  not  asso- 
ciated with  the  movement  before  organization,  did  be- 
come identified  with  it  almost  immediately  after — we 
refer  to  Mrs.  Charles  Gilbert.  She,  with  her  husband, 
was  among  the  first  to  be  baptized.  They  were  with  the 
church  when  it  met  in  the  Franklin  schoolhouse,  and  Mrs. 


48 

Gilbert  is  still  among  us,  an  earnest,  loyal  member  for 
nearly  fifty  years. 

The  courage  and  faith  of  this  little  band  was  shown 
by  their  prompt  action,  having  at  their  first  meeting,  No- 
vember 20th,  185 1 — even  before  their  organization  was 
completed — appointed  a  committee  to  raise  money  "for 
building  a  meeting  house,"  and  at  their  third  meeting, 
December  2d,  a  committee  was  instructed  to  purchase  a 
lot.  Of  course  a  temporary  home  was  needed  for  this 
new  church  family,  and  for  this  purpose  the  Franklin 
schoolhouse,  located  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  village, 
opposite  the  present  residence  of  Dr.  Harry  E.  Richards, 
was  rented,  repaired  and  furnished.  Prayer  meetings 
and  Sunday-school  services  were  held  in  the  latter  part 
of  1 85 1,  but  preaching  services  were  not  begun  until  Feb- 
ruary 1st,  1852. 

On  February  13th  the  church  was  recognized.  The 
exercises  of  the  public  recognition  were  held  in  the  Lec- 
ture Room  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  kindly  oiifered 
for  the  purpose,  and  were  participated  in  by  Revs.  J.  Q. 
Adams,  William  Hague,  D.  D.,  Thomas  Armitage,  D.  D., 
H.  C.  Fish,  D.  D.,  and  J.  R.  Stone. 

At  first  the  church  seemed  likely  to  locate  in  the 
extreme  southern  part  of  the  town,  and  the  committee  to 
secure  a  lot  reported  that  the  most  suitable  one  they  could 
obtain  was  one  belonging  to  Mr.  James  Wharry;  it  was 
situated  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  present  residence  of 
Brother  J.  B.  Maxfield.  In  March,  however,  a  very  much 
wiser  choice  was  made  and  the  present  church  property, 
corner  of  Franklin  street  and  Washington  avenue,  was 
bought  for  $950. 

The  original  plot  purchased  for  the  new  church  build- 
ing was  much  larger  than  the  present  one,  three  building 
lots,  one  on  Franklin  street  and  two  on  Washington 
avenue,  having  been  sold  from  it.    Soon  after  securing  the 


/"^/^  Pastor,  1852-1853. 


C.^^^J^.^/<T$^C^  . 


49 

lot,  plans  for  a  house  of  worship  were  obtained  and  work 
on  it  was  begun,  but  it  was  not  completed  until  about 
June,  1853. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  1852,  six  persons  were  baptized 
by  Rev.  H.  C.  Fish,  D.  D.,  of  Newark,  in  a  stream  not 
now  in  existence,  but  which  then  ran  by  the  residence  of 
Mr.  C.  W.  Powers,  very  near  the  present  Brake  Shoe 
Works.  The  first  person  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of 
the  church  was  Thomas  T.  Cadmus.  A  large  number 
witnessed  the  first  baptism  in  connection  with  the  new 
church,  and  to  very  many  it  was  the  first  time  they  had 
seen  Christian  baptism  as  taught  in  the  Bible. 

First  Pastorate. 

On  July  4th,  1852,  Rev.  John  D.  Meeson,  of  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  a  salary  being 
offered  him  of  $400  per  annum.  He  accepted,  and  soon 
after  began  his  labors,  but  on  February  ist,  1853,  he 
resigned.  During  his  brief  pastorate  twelve  were  added 
to  the  church — five  of  these  by  baptism.  During  the  last 
month  of  Mr.  Meeson's  pastorate  the  meetings  of  the 
church  were  transferred  from  the  Franklin  schoolhouse 
to  the  lecture  room  in  the  basement  of  the  new  building. 

It  is  evident  from  the  records  that  the  financial 
struggle  had  already  begun  which  for  many  years  tried 
the  faith,  patience  and  liberality  of  the  little  band.  In 
December,  1852,  an  appropriation  of  $100  was  made  by 
the  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  in  aid  of  the 
church,  being  the  only  financial  assistance  ever  received 
from  the  convention. 

Second  Pastorate. 

On  March  13th,  1853,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev. 
James  H.  Pratt,  of  North  Granville,  N.  Y.,  which  was 
accepted.    The  salary  was  fixed  at  $600. 


50 

On  July  14th  the  new  house  of  worship  was  opened 
with  appropriate  exercises.  Up  to  this  time  about  $3250 
had  been  raised,  leaving  about  $5250  still  to  be  secured 
to  cover  the  cost  of  the  building  and  lot.  Of  this  sum 
$4053  was  subscribed  on  Dedication  Day,  and  the  bal- 
ance, about  $1200,  was  carried  by  a  generous  brother  for 
nearly  a  year  and  then  he  presented  the  church  with  a 
receipt  in  full.  Of  the  $8500  expended,  nearly  $1000 
was  contributed  by  members  of  the  Willet  family,  and 
about  $3500  by  Deacon  S.  A.  Brower,  who  went  to  his 
rest  during  the  past  year.  Although  these  contributions 
were  much  the  largest,  other  members  gave  generously 
and  to  the  point  of  sacrifice  for  the  Lord's  work.  It  is 
only  proper  to  record  that  among  the  contributors  appear 
the  names  of  quite  a  number  of  prominent  Presbyterians 
of  the  village  who  aided  this  struggling  band  by  generous 
contributions. 

From  this  time  the  church  seemed  to  prosper  in  its 
work,  gaining  in  strength  and  influence,  and  its  member- 
ship increasing  more  rapidly.  Financially,  however,  the 
church  did  not  gain  so  fast,  most  of  the  members  being 
in  very  moderate  circumstances.  The  records  reveal  how 
serious  were  the  struggles  with  poverty.  In  1855  it  was 
voted  to  instruct  the  trustees  "to  apportion  to  each  mem- 
ber an  amount  towards  paying  the  indebtedness  of  the 
church  to  the  pastor"  and  then  to  call  on  each  member 
and  endeavor  to  collect  the  assessment.  It  is  further 
recorded  that  the  pastor  and  Brother  Brower  (to  whom 
the  church  was  indebted)  declared  that  whatever  the  suc- 
cess of  the  effort  they  would  consider  the  balance  still 
owing  to  them  at  the  conclusion  of  this  endeavor  as  can- 
celed. 

Evidences  of  economy  are  found  in  the  trustees'  rec- 
ords, which  tell  us  of  their  appointing  Brother  Landau 


Pastor,  1853-1858. 


51 

(grandfather  of  our  Brother  Harry  L.  Osborne)  "a  com- 
mittee to  have  the  ashes  carefully  sifted,"  ceasing  to  em- 
ploy an  organist,  resolving  that  they  could  not  pay  the 
sexton  more  than  $50  per  year,  etc.  This  struggle,  how- 
ever, reached  its  height  when  the  financial  crisis  of  1857 
and  1858  swept  over  the  land,  paralyzing  business  and  de- 
pleting incomes  none  too  large  before.  We  find  then  the 
trustees  resolving  that  after  providing  for  other  necessary 
expenses  they  are  only  able  to  estimate  as  available  toward 
paying  the  pastor's  salary,  the  sum  of  $250.  In  the  entire 
year  of  1857  the  total  receipts  were  only  $637.39,  and 
when  the  pastor  resigned,  soon  after,  they  were  only  able 
to  pay  him  by  mortgaging  the  church  property  for  $450. 
In  this  connection  we  should  notice  the  liberality  of 
the  church  to  benevolent  and  missionary  objects.  While 
the  offerings  were  not  large  in  amount,  they  were  liberal 
in  view  of  the  ability  of  the  church,  and  their  spirit  was 
admirable.  Before  their  house  of  worship  was  finished 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  for  benevo- 
lent operations,  and  this  resulted  in  the  adoption  of  a 
schedule  of  collections  occurring  every  alternate  month, 
and  a  collector  was  appointed  for  each  society — Mission- 
ary Union,  Home  Mission  Society,  etc.,  "whose  duty  it 
shall  be  to  see  every  member  of  the  church,  and  request  a 
weekly,  monthly  or  yearly  offering  to  such  society."  On 
January  loth,  1855,  their  financial  embarrassment  was 
such  that  they  voted  to  discontinue  the  collections  for 
benevolent  objects,  and  take  a  special  collection  the  first 
Sabbath  in  each  month  towards  paying  the  church  debt. 
Apparently,  however,  the  benevolent  offerings  were  soon 
resumed,  as  we  find  in  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year 
a  motion  "That  no  collection  for  benevolent  objects  be 
taken  until  our  church  debt  is  paid,"  was  voted  down. 
Even  during  their  severest  struggles  the  benevolent  offer- 


52 

ings  were  continued,  and  generally  with  an  increase  each 
year. 

In  1857,  just  when  the  fight  with  poverty  was  at  its 
worst,  a  new  trouble  culminated  which  shook  the  church 
to  its  center,  caused  hard  feelings,  and  resulted  in  the  loss 
of  a  large  number  of  members.  A  schism  was  introduced 
by  some  who  favored  open  communion,  a  resolution  being 
offered  in  business  meeting  "That  the  pastor,  on  Com- 
munion Sabbaths,  frame  his  invitation  to  a  seat  with  us 
to  include  all  who  are  members  in  good  standing  in  any 
evangelical  church."  The  leader  in  this  was  a  man  of 
large  influence,  and  financially  one  of  the  most  able  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation.  The  resolution  was  defeated, 
though,  as  above  stated,  the  church  was  sorely  tried  and 
weakened,  temporarily,  by  the  experience.  The  stand 
was  firmly  taken  against  this  sacrifice  of  Baptist  princi- 
ples, because  loyalty  to  the  truth  demanded  it.  The 
church  after  this  action  was  no  less  catholic  and  fraternal 
in  its  sympathies  with  other  denominations,  and  its  record 
since  has  shown  it  to  be  earnest  and  among  the  foremost 
in  every  union  movement  of  God's  people. 

The  gracious  revival  which  swept  over  the  land  in 
the  winter  of  1857  and  1858  was  experienced  here  as 
elsewhere.  Daily  meetings  were  held  and  many  were 
saved,  and  wanderers  recalled. 

On  April  5th,  1858,  Mr.  Pratt  resigned  the  pastor- 
ate, having  accepted  a  call  to  the  church  at  North  Gran- 
ville, N.  Y.,  from  which  he  came  to  Bloomfield.  He  was 
an  earnest,  godly  man,  did  a  faithful  work,  and  the 
church  made  decided  progress  during  his  pastorate  of 
five  years.  He  left  many  warm  friends  here,  though  some 
felt  that  if  he  had  taken  a  more  decided  stand  against 
the  open  communion  movement  it  would  not  have  gone 
so  far  and  the  church  would  have  been  spared  a  trying 
experience. 


53 


There  were  received  into  the  church  during  this  pas- 
torate: By  baptism,  78;  by  letter,  42;  by  experience,  i. 
In  all  received,  121. 


Third  Pastorate. 

For  several  months  after  the  resignation  of  Mr. 
Pratt,  April  5th,  1858,  the  church  was  without  a  pastor. 
On  August  8th  following,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev. 
Henry  F.  Smith,  of  Banksville,  Conn.,  and  it  was  ac- 
cepted. The  new  pastor  found  the  church  amid  rather 
unfavorable  circumstances.  The  effects  of  the  attempted 
schism  already  referred  to  were  still  very  apparent,  and 
the  financial  situation  was  serious.  In  June  previous  a 
special  committee  had  been  appointed  to  collect  money  to 
pay  "three  accounts  which  are  of  long  standing  and  ought 
to  be  paid."  At  the  next  meeting  "the  committee  re- 
ported no  success,"  and  at  a  still  later  meeting  the  record 
reads,  "the  committee  reported  discouragingly,  want  of 
success,  and  resigned."  Under  the  leadership  of  the  new 
pastor,  with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  the  skies  gradually 
brightened,  and  in  1863,  five  years  later,  it  was  recorded 
by  the  trustees  that  the  financial  situation  was  "healthy 
and  the  outlook  flattering."  The  church  did  not,  how- 
ever, have  any  surplus  means  then,  nor  has  it  had  at  any 
time  since.  The  wealthy  have  never  been  among  its  mem- 
bers. It  was  only  two  years  after  the  above  quoted  cheer- 
ful record  that  the  Young  People's  Aid  Society  was 
appealed  to  by  the  trustees  to  assist  them  in  a  financial 
crisis.  On  the  whole,  however,  there  was  a  gradual 
increase  in  financial  strength  throughout  this  pastorate. 

The  duty  of  Christian  giving  was  not  only  inculcated 
by  precept,  but  in  1865  it  was  voted — and  the  record  still 
stands  as  a  rule  of  the  church  on  the  subject — "That  any 


54 

member  refusing  or  neglecting  to  contribute  according  to 
his  or  her  abiHty  for  the  support  of  the  Gospel  here,  shall 
be  subject  to  discipline." 

In  this  pastorate  the  principle  of  Christian  benevo- 
lence, which  had  already  been  creditably  developed,  con- 
sidering the  financial  struggles  of  the  church,  was  culti- 
vated and  broadened  so  that  there  was  a  marked  and 
steady  increase  every  year,  the  benevolent  offerings  rising 
from  an  average  of  about  $ioo  to  about  $700  annually. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  noted  that  although 
during  its  earlier  history  the  church  had  depended  some- 
what on  fairs,  festivals,  etc.,  for  support,  it  now,  under 
the  sound  teaching  of  Pastor  Smith  as  to  Christian 
giving,  totally  discarded  all  such — shall  we  say  unprinci- 
pled?— methods  of  getting  money  for  the  Lord's  work. 
The  position  then  taken  on  this  subject  has  been  main- 
tained ever  since. 

Another  unwise  custom  which  might  well  have  been 
discarded  at  the  same  time,  but  was  not,  and  which  lin- 
gered until  the  end  of  this  pastorate,  when  it  disappeared 
never  to  be  resurrected,  was  the  annual  donation  to  the 
pastor,  which  was  understood  and  agreed  upon  as  part 
of  the  pastor's  compensation.  This  part  of  the  pastor's 
salary,  however,  was  faithfully  paid  each  year,  accord- 
ing to  agreement,  and  doubtless  a  good  social  time  was 
enjoyed,  though  perhaps  the  net  gain  to  the  pastor  was 
not  very  great  after  allowance  had  been  made  for  "wear 
and  tear." 

Pastor  Smith  was  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  young 
people,  and  under  his  lead  they  developed  a  power  for 
good  decidedly  in  advance  of  anything  in  the  earlier  his- 
tory of  the  church.  This  development  of  the  young  peo- 
ple was  greatly  to  their  advantage  and  that  of  the  church 
then  and  ever  since. 


^eCli^. 


Pastor,  1858-1869. 


55 

He  took  a  very  active  interest  in  the  Sunday-school, 
and  served  three  years  as  its  superintendent.  The  school 
was  prosperous  during  this  pastorate,  and  reached  the 
largest  membership  in  its  history  up  to  about  ten  years 
ago. 

While  Mr.  Smith  was  pastor  that  exciting  period  of 
our  national  history  occurred  in  which  the  Civil  War 
took  place.  Pastor  Smith  took  a  prominent  and  patriotic 
stand,  and  the  influence  of  the  church  was  most  decidedly 
for  God  and  our  country.  This  cannot  be  better  demon- 
strated than  by  stating  the  simple  fact  that  twenty  mem- 
bers of  the  church — with  a  total  male  membership,  includ- 
ing all  ages  and  conditions,  of  only  about  sixty — entered 
the  United  States  army. 

The  spiritual  interests  of  the  church  were  most 
earnestly  fostered  and  the  Gospel  was  faithfully  pro- 
claimed. A  steady  and  healthy  growth  marked  the  entire 
pastorate,  but  seasons  of  special  interest  and  ingathering 
occurred  in  i860,  1864  and  1866,  the  number  received  by 
baptism  then  being  respectively  27,  19  and  31. 

On  March  4th,  1869,  after  a  connection  with  the 
church  of  nearly  eleven  years.  Brother  Smith  resigned, 
much  to  the  regret  of  all,  having  accepted  a  call  to  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

To  the  piety,  executive  ability  and  faithful  labors 
of  Henry  F.  Smith,  under  God,  we  believe  the  success 
and  development  of  the  church  are  largely  due.  The 
lines  of  action  in  many  respects  which  mark  the  church 
to-day  were  initiated  under  his  ministry. 

The  total  number  of  members  received  during  this 
pastorate  of  about  eleven  years,  was:  By  baptism,  129; 
by  letter,  85 ;  by  experience,  7 ;  by  restoration,  9 ;  in  all, 
230. 


56 

Fourth  Pastorate. 

On  April  22d,  1869,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  W. 
F.  Stubbert,  D.  D.,  of  Watertown,  Mass.,  which  was 
accepted,  and  the  work  of  the  church  continued  without 
interruption  from  the  change  of  pastors. 

A  year  or  two  previous  to  this  time  a  mission  Sun- 
day-school had  been  started  in  an  old  chapel  on  Franklin 
street,  near  what  is  now  known  as  Silver  Lake  neighbor- 
hood. It  was  continued  several  seasons  under  the  lead  of 
Deacon  Eldridge  Van  De  Werken. 

In  the  fall  of  1869  another  service  outside  of  the 
usual  church  appointments  was  initiated;  a  meeting  for 
prayer,  preaching,  etc.,  conducted  in  the  German  lan- 
guage, being  held  weekly  in  Unangst  Hall  in  the  village. 
These  meetings  were  discontinued  after  some  five  or  six 
months.  This  was  the  second  attempt  at  special  work 
among  the  Germans;  early  in  the  history  of  the  church 
(about  1854)  such  a  meeting  having  been  established 
and  well  sustained  for  two  or  three  years.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  this  work  was  not  continued,  as  then  there 
was  no  German  church  in  the  village,  and  the  field  was 
a  promising  one.  The  young  and  struggling  church,  how- 
ever, had  its  hands  so  full  in  caring  for  its  own  imme- 
diate and  pressing  needs  that  this  movement  was  dropped. 

About  1 87 1  regular  weekly  prayer  meetings  were 
begun  in  Montclair  under  the  lead  of  the  pastor  and  with 
the  assistance  of  several  brethren  from  Bloomfield.  They 
were  held  at  the  homes  of  various  Baptists  resident  in 
Montclair.  The  outlook  for  the  early  organization  of  a 
Baptist  church  there  was  promising,  but  the  death  of  Dr. 
E.  E.  L.  Taylor,  one  of  the  most  active  supporters  of  the 
work,  and  other  unfavorable  circumstances,  led  to  its 
postponement.  These  meetings  were  maintained  for 
about  three  years. 


:  a77^2X£^^^ 


Pastor,  1869-1875. 


57 

Still  another  line  of  activity  outside  the  regular 
church  appointments  was  the  old  Saloon  Mission  at 
Bloomfield  Center,  a  union  effort  in  which  our  people  as 
well  as  the  other  evangelical  denominations  in  the  village 
heartily  participated.  This  work  began  in  the  fall  of 
1875,  and  was  continued  until  March  23d,  1878,  accom- 
plishing much  good. 

In  1872  the  church  was  presented  by  Mr.  Henry 
C.  Spaulding  with  a  beautiful  bell  weighing  over  three 
thousands  pounds,  placed  in  position  in  the  tower  ready 
for  use  entirely  without  expense  to  the  church.  A  few 
years  later  this  bell  became  cracked  and  was  recast  into 
a  smaller  bell  weighing  a  little  over  two  thousand  pounds, 
the  excess  metal  paying  the  entire  expense  of  the  change. 
This  smaller  bell  was  deemed  large  enough  and  much 
safer  and  better  adapted  to  the  tower,  where  it  is  placed. 
It  is  still  in  use,  retains  the  beautiful  tone  of  the  original 
bell,  and  has  faithfully  called  God's  people  to  the  house 
of  prayer  during  these  many  years. 

A  change  of  great  importance  was  made  in  the  fall 
of  1874,  when  the  church  voted  unanimously  to  adopt 
the  system  of  free  seats,  and  instead  of  relying  princi- 
pally for  income  to  meet  current  expenses  on  pew-rents, 
to  depend  entirely  on  the  voluntary  weekly  or  monthly 
offerings  of  the  people.  This  plan  was  proposed  in  1867, 
and  discussed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  but  a  committee 
to  whom  it  was  referred  reported  that  they  met  with  but 
"little  encouragement,  and  advised  that  the  idea  be 
dropped."  Now,  however,  the  plan  was  adopted  with 
enthusiasm,  and  from  its  very  inception  it  was,  and  to 
the  present  time  has  continued,  very  successful.  The 
income  of  the  church  increased  the  first  year  under  the 
new  plan  more  than  20  per  cent  over  the  year  previous. 

In  the  summer  of  1874  the  pastor's  health  failed,  and 


58 

he  was  voted  a  leave  of  absence  of  several  months.  In 
1875  ^^  again  became  necessary  for  him  to  be  relieved  for 
two  or  three  months,  and  then  finding  himself  still  unable 
to  resume  his  pastoral  duties  fully,  he  offered  his  resigna- 
tion to  take  effect  January  ist,  1876. 

During  this  pastorate  the  Gospel  was  faithfully  pro- 
claimed and  there  was  manifest  a  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  church  generally.  A  high  standard  of  Chris- 
tian life  and  duty  was  inculcated,  and  the  truth  preached 
without  fear  or  favor. 

We  observe  on  the  records  a  preamble  and  resolu- 
tion adopted  in  1871  as  expressive  of  the  views  of  the 
church  then,  and  which  has  never  been  rescinded,  which 
just  here  we  will  quote : 

"The  church,  having  heard  with  deep  regret  of  some 
of  her  members  indulging  more  or  less  frequently  in 
social  dancing — a  practice  strongly  condemned  by  the 
Word  of  God  as  evil,  and  so  regarded  by  the  most  godly 
of  His  servants  in  every  age — and  feeling  that  this  harm- 
ful practice  is  much  more  likely  to  increase  than  to  wane 
by  its  being  suffered  to  remain  unnoticed;  and  feeling 
sacredly  bound  to  seek  and  promote  the  spiritual  welfare 
of  all  her  members  as  of  the  whole  body,  and  not  to  suffer 
sin  unrebuked  on  any  brother,  or  countenance  any  act  or 
course  in  any  of  her  members  by  which  her  peace,  pros- 
perity and  usefulness  are  impaired  or  any  brother  caused 
to  offend;  therefore 

Resolved,  That  the  church  feels  constrained  to  ex- 
press her  deep  sorrow  that  any  of  her  members  should 
have  at  any  time  indulged  in  this  practice,  and  her  earnest 
hope  that  all  her  members  will  henceforth,  at  all  times, 
under  all  circumstances,  and  utterly,  abstain  therefrom." 

Several  seasons  of  special  religious  interest  were 
enjoyed,  the  most  marked  being  in  1870  and  1874,  and 


59 

the  church  continued  to  increase  in  membership  except 
during  the  last  two  years  of  the  pastorate. 

The  benevolent  offerings  of  the  church  fell  off  con- 
siderably, except  in  the  years  1870  and  1873,  but  the 
amount  raised  for  current  expenses  was  largely  increased, 
and  the  total  receipts  for  home  expenses  and  benevolence 
combined  were  larger  than  ever  before,  and  the  average 
for  the  seven  years,  1866  to  1875,  both  inclusive,  is  higher 
than  the  annual  average  for  the  ten  years  following. 

Dr.  Stubbert,  like  his  predecessor,  was  an  earnest, 
godly  man,  and  thoroughly  devoted  to  his  charge.  He 
did  especially  valuable  and  helpful  pastoral  work,  and 
brought  joy  to  many  homes  by  his  genial  and  kindly 
words  and  ministries.  A  man  of  very  positive  convictions 
and  most  emphatic  in  his  expression  of  them,  he  natu- 
rally found  some  opponents,  but  he  also  made  many  very 
firm  friends. 

During  this  pastorate  of  nearly  seven  years  there 
were  received  into  the  church :  By  baptism,  64 ;  by  letter, 
57;  by  experience,  4;  by  restoration,  i ;  in  all,  126. 

Fifth  Pastorate. 

On  April  loth,  1876,  Rev.  Ezra  D.  Simons,  of  Vail 
Avenue  Church,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  was  called  to  the  pastorate, 
and  accepted,  entering  upon  his  work  May  8th  following. 

The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of 
the  church  occurred  in  the  fall  of  1876,  and  on  November 
28th  of  that  year  the  event  was  celebrated  by  services  in 
the  afternoon  and  evening,  and  a  social  reunion,  at  which 
a  collation  was  served  between  the  sessions.  Many  old 
members  of  the  church  were  present,  and  it  was  an  occa- 
sion of  much  interest. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  first  two  pastors,  Revs. 


6o 

J.  D.  Meeson  and  James  H.  Pratt,  and  the  three  later 
pastors,  Brethren  Smith,  Stubbert  and  Simons,  were 
present  and  participated  in  the  exercises.  The  Rev.  J.  W. 
Sarles,  D.  D.,  also  delivered  an  address.  On  this  occa- 
sion about  $i,ioo  was  raised  to  cancel  a  small  mortgage 
and  floating  debt  against  the  church. 

In  the  earlier  part  of  this  sketch  we  referred  to  the 
old  Saloon  Mission,  in  which  our  people  were  actively 
interested.  When  this  work  was  discontinued  in  the 
spring  of  1878,  Pastor  Simons  and  a  number  of  others, 
feeling  the  importance  of  some  effort  to  reach  the  young 
men  especially,  who  were  being  drawn  into  the  saloons 
which  abounded  in  the  village,  determined  to  establish  a 
temperance  meeting  in  the  lecture  room  of  the  church. 

This  meeting  was  held  every  Saturday  evening,  and 
was  well  sustained  for  four  or  five  years.  Interesting  and 
well-known  speakers  were  present  at  almost  every 
meeting,  and  very  inspiring  and  profitable  services  were 
held.  Temperance  sentiment  was  greatly  strengthened 
and  developed.  Its  success  was  largely  due  to  the  earnest 
efforts  of  Deacon  Charles  W.  Maxfield. 

Deacon  David  Cairns,  one  of  the  constituent  mem- 
bers, died  December  i8th,  1881,  and  left  a  legacy  of 
$1,000.  It  was,  without  restriction,  to  be  used  by  the 
trustees  for  the  benefit  of  the  church  as  they  might  deem 
best. 

In  1884  the  accumulation  of  a  fund  for  a  Sunday- 
school  building  was  begun  by  vote  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees. The  real  beginning  of  this  fund,  however,  was 
not  this  action  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  but  in  the  dying 
gift  of  a  member  of  the  Sunday-school — Annie  Simcox 
Smith — who  about  1868  had  left  to  the  school  a  small 
sum  of  money  which  she  had  saved  as  her  offering  toward 
a  new  school-room.     This  small  sum  thus  became  the 


^"^ha.   oo  ^    G/(yyy^ryv6 


'f^ 


Pastor,  1876-1887. 


6i 

nucleus,  and  with  other  trifling  amounts  added  from  time 
to  time,  amounted  to  some  $200  when  this  action  was 
taken  by  the  trustees. 

Late  in  1885  the  Montclair  Baptist  Church  was  or- 
ganized, and  eight  members  were  dismissed  to  join  that 
movement.  Pastor  Simons,  as  well  as  his  predecessor, 
had  labored  earnestly  to  bring  about  this  result,  and  took 
an  active  part  in  its  final  consummation.  This  took  away 
some  valuable  members ;  especially  Brother  G.  P.  Farmer, 
who  had  been  an  active  member  of  the  Bloomfield  church, 
but  who  entered  into  the  work  in  Montclair  with  re- 
doubled energy  and  consecration. 

Although  quite  extensive  repairs  and  improvements 
had  been  made  in  the  church  property  several  times — 
notably  in  1871  and  1879 — the  largest  work  of  this  kind 
was  done  in  1886,  when  about  $2,000  were  expended. 
The  entire  sum  was  covered  by  subscriptions  before  the 
work  was  begun. 

In  1887  a  legacy  of  $500  was  left  the  church  by  Dr. 
Thomas,  a  Baptist,  and  a  resident  of  Bloomfield,  but 
who  had  never  united  with  our  church.  It  was  specified 
in  the  will  that  the  bequest  should  be  added  to  the  fund 
for  a  new  Sunday-school  building. 

On  the  last  Sabbath  in  November,  1887,  Pastor 
Simons  surprised  the  church  by  announcing  his  purpose 
to  resign  the  pastorate,  to  take  effect  January  ist  follow- 
ing, he  having  received  and  accepted  a  call  to  be  associate 
pastor  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  New  York.  His 
resignation  offered  at  a  later  date  went  into  effect  January 
I  St,  1888,  ending  up  to  that  time  the  longest  pastorate  in 
the  history  of  the  church,  eleven  years  and  eight  months. 

These  years  were  marked  by  much  earnest  work 
both  by  pastor  and  people — especially  the  former — and 
gratifying  results   followed.     The  church   increased   in 


62  ' 

number  and  influence  and  many  were  won  to  Christ, 
Several  seasons  of  special  ingathering  occurred,  notably 
in  1877,  1879  and  1884.  The  revival  in  1877  was  the 
most  marked  in  our  history;  special  meetings  were  held 
every  night  for  nearly  four  months,  and  108  were  re- 
ceived by  baptism  and  six  by  experience. 

Financially  the  record  was  good,  and  although  the 
contributions  were  not  quite  so  large  as  either  before  or 
since,  this  department  of  the  work  was  in  a  healthy  con- 
dition. 

In  the  previous  history  of  the  church  only  one  mem- 
ber of  the  church  had  been  licensed  to  preach — Theodore 
Holt,  in  1862 — but  during  this  pastorate  two  more  breth- 
ren were  by  vote  of  the  church  made  licentiates,  viz. ; 
Joseph  B.  Maxfield  and  William  C.  Owen. 

Two  members  entered  the  ministry  and  became  pas- 
tors :  Rev.  Henry  B.  Maurer  and  Rev.  William  C.  Owen. 
The  church  had  a  lively  interest  in  these  two  brethren 
and  gladly  helped  them  during  their  studies. 

During  this  pastorate — on  April  ist,  1881 — our 
Brother  Joseph  B.  Maxfield  became  identified  with  the 
Silver  Lake  mission,  which  had  then  been  in  existence 
several  years.  Since  that  time  Brother  Maxfield  has  been 
most  deeply  interested  in  this  work,  has  given  it  earnest 
thought  and  effort,  and  great  good  has  been  accomplished. 
While  strictly  speaking  this  can  hardly  be  called  a  mis- 
sion of  our  church,  it  has  certainly  had  a  warm  place  in 
our  sympathies,  and  a  large  share  of  its  support  has  come 
from  our  people. 

Pastor  Simons  was  thoroughly  consecrated  to  his 
work.  At  any  and  all  hours  of  the  night  he  was  ready 
to  aid  and  comfort  the  sick  and  suffering.  In  times  of 
affliction  he  was  peculiarly  faithful — no  service  or  sacri- 


63 

fice  being  too  great  for  him  to  offer  for  those  in  trouble. 
These  ministrations  were  as  freely  given  to  the  humblest 
as  to  those  more  prominent. 

His  sympathy  and  help  were  not  confined  to  his  own 
congregation,  but  to  any  one  in  trouble  he  was  a  friend 
and  helper.  He  left  a  host  of  warm  friends  in  Bloom- 
field,  both  in  the  church  and  out  of  it.  Brother  Simons 
was  an  indefatigible  worker,  and  his  decease  only  a  few 
months  after  his  removal  from  Bloomfield  was,  in  the 
opinion  of  many  who  knew  him  best,  largely  a  result  of 
overwork.  His  labors,  pastoral,  literary  and  official,  were 
numerous,  and  the  cause  of  God  lost  a  most  devoted  ser- 
vant when  Ezra  D.  Simons  was  called  home. 

The  record  of  members  received  during  this  pas- 
torate is  :  By  baptism,  249 ;  by  letter,  103 ;  by  experience, 
16;  by  restoration,  8;  total,  376. 

Sixth  Pastorate. 

On  March  ist,  1888,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev. 
Charles  A.  Cook,  of  Parliament  Street  Baptist  Church, 
Toronto,  Canada,  which  was  accepted  and  early  in  April 
he  entered  upon  his  work.  Shortly  after  his  coming  he 
organized  among  the  young  people  a  Christian  Endeavor 
Society,  which  has  been  through  all  these  years  a  power 
for  great  good.  It  is  in  a  flourishing  condition  and  is 
one  of  the  strong  arms  of  the  church.  Under  direction 
of  this  organization  was  published,  from  1889  to  1895,  a 
monthly  paper,  "The  Worker,"  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  the  church;  it  was  an  admirable  feature  of  church 
enterprise,  and  might  well  have  been  continued. 

One  of  the  deepest  and  most  widespread  awaken- 
ings that  Bloomfield  ever  experienced  was  in  the  spring 
of  1 89 1,  when  Rev.  B.  Fay  Mills  conducted  union  re- 


64 

vival  services  here.  Over  300  were  hopefully  converted, 
and  God's  people  were  greatly  revived.  This  church  and 
pastor  had  a  large  and  active  share  in  the  work,  and 
about  forty  were  baptized  and  joined  us. 

The  effort  to  accumulate  a  building  fund  for  a  Sun- 
day-school room,  to  which  reference  has  already  been 
made,  received  increased  attention  after  the  coming  of 
Pastor  Cook,  and  about  January  ist,  1891,  the  church, 
on  the  recommendation  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  voted 
that  provided  the  building  fund  (then  about  $3,800, 
including  the  Cairns  and  Thomas  legacies)  should  be 
raised  to  $5,000  by  April  ist,  and  pledges  for  $8,000 
more,  payable  in  four  years,  should  be  secured,  they  would 
proceed  to  erect  a  Sunday-school  building.  Earnest  efforts 
to  meet  these  conditions  were  fully  successful,  the  $5,000 
cash  being  secured,  and  additional  pledges  to  about 
$12,000,  and  the  fine  Sunday-school  and  lecture  room 
we  now  possess  was  erected,  and  extensive  changes  made 
in  the  original  church  building  in  accordance  with  plans 
by  Mr.  J.  R.  Thomas,  architect,  of  New  York.  The 
ground  for  the  new  building  was  broken  April  24th,  1891, 
but  the  work  was  not  fully  completed  until  the  next 
spring,  the  opening  service  being  held  March  6th,  1892, 
in  celebration  of  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church. 

The  total  amount  expended  was  nearly  $21,000,  and 
to  secure  the  needed  funds — pending  the  payment  of 
pledges  which  were  to  run  over  four  years,  and  also  to 
cover  the  amount  expended  in  excess  of  pledges — a  mort- 
gage of  $10,000  was  placed  on  the  property  besides  a 
considerable  amount  borrowed  from  the  bank  on  notes. 
To-night  these  obligations  are  all  paid,  and  our  property 
worth  fully  $40,000  is  free  and  clear.  The  school-room 
is  a  model  in  its  convenience  and  adaptability  to  our  school 


^'^^^^   .vV.    y^^^tf-*^ 


Pastor,  1888- 


65 

work,  and  has  given  a  new  impetus  to  the  Sunday-school, 
which  now  numbers  over  400  members,  and  is  in  a  most 
prosperous  condition. 

In  1892  was  formed  the  Bloomfield  EvangeHcal 
Union,  a  deHghtful  organization,  inchiding  the  Presby- 
terian, Methodist,  Congregational  and  Baptist  churches 
of  our  town.  This  Union  is  still  in  active  operation,  and 
no  church  has  had  a  deeper  interest  or  larger  share  in  it 
than  our  own. 

The  year  1893  saw  two  very  important  mission 
enterprises  launched,  at  Brookdale  and  at  Glenwood 
avenue.  The  former  originated  with  Deacon  Henry 
Hepburn,  of  the  Passaic  church,  who  generously  pur- 
chased a  Methodist  church  at  Brookdale,  not  then  being 
used,  and  gave  its  use  for  a  mission  to  be  under  our  direc- 
tion. Two  years  later  this  became  an  independent  church 
and  is  doing  well. 

The  Glenwood  Avenue  Mission  sprang  mainly  from 
the  warm  heart  of  our  beloved  and  lamented  sister,  Mrs. 
John  Rassbach,  although  in  the  work  she  had  earnest 
helpers.  This  mission  has  recently  suspended  owing  to 
changed  conditions,  but  for  seven  or  eight  years  it  did  a 
most  beneficent  work. 

While  the  church  has  always  been  liberal  in  its  sup- 
port of  missionary  and  benevolent  work,  it  has  during  the 
present  pastorate  made  a  remarkable  advance  along  this 
line,  and  greatly  increased  its  offerings  to  such  work. 
The  year  1899,  however,  saw  the  inauguration  of  a  move- 
ment decidedly  in  advance  of  anything  previously  under- 
taken, viz. :  the  raising  of  $1,000  annually  for  the  support 
of  our  own  missionary  on  the  foreign  field.  The  mis- 
sionary assigned  to  us  by  the  Missionary  Union  was  Rev. 
John  M.  Carvell,  who  with  his  wife  is  laboring  in  Assam, 
India.     We  are  now  on  the  third  year  of  this  arrange- 


66 

ment,  and  it  has  proven  a  blessing,  and  an  inspiration  to 
larger  offerings  for  our  local  work,  and  to  home  mis- 
sions. We  rejoice  in  the  courage,  faith  and  generosity 
evinced  in  this  large  undertaking. 

The  most  favorable  conditions  exist  in  every  depart- 
ment of  church  work,  complete  harmony  prevails  among 
our  members,  and  the  abundant  mercies  of  the  past  and 
present  are  only  exceeded  by  the  bright  and  hopeful  out- 
look for  the  future. 

Not  only  has  this  pastorate  a  remarkably  favorable 
record  along  financial  and  benevolent  lines,  but  a  large 
measure  of  spiritual  development  has  been  realized,  and 
a  gratifying  increase  in  numbers.  The  accessions  from 
the  beginning  of  the  pastorate  to  this  date  have  been : 
By  letter,  141;  by  baptism,  243;  by  experience,  25;  by 
restoration,  3;  in  all,  412.     Present  membership,  435. 

In  closing  permit  us  to  recall  some  of  the  more 
prominent  names  in  the  history  of  the  past  fifty  years. 
To  some  of  you  the  mere  mention  of  these  names  will 
recall  familiar  faces.  Among  those  who  have  held  official 
positions  we  recall  the  energetic  Deacon  Clark,  stately 
Deacon  Crane,  whole-souled  Deacon  Omberson,  faithful 
Deacon  Cairns,  genial  Deacon  Ward,  noble  Deacon  Wil- 
let,  devoted  Deacon  Van  DeWerken,  generous  Deacon 
Brower  and  others. 

Most  of  those  just  mentioned  served  as  trustees,  but 
among  others  who  have  rendered  faithful  service  in  that 
position  we  recall  Christopher  Landau,  Charles  W.  Pow- 
ers, Charles  Gilbert,  Frederick  Gilbert,  Joseph  Hague, 
Joseph  F.  Sanxay,  David  Winans,  Charles  W.  Maxfield, 
George  W.  Pancoast  and  Richard  Stout. 

The  following  have  served  as  treasurer  previous  to 
the  present  incumbent :    Samuel  A.  Brower,  Charles  W. 


67 

Powers,  Joseph  Hague,  Charles  S.  Willet,  Joseph  B. 
Maxfield  and  Seymour  P.  Gilbert. 

The  following  as  clerks  previous  to  the  present  in- 
cumbent :  Uzal  D.  Ward,  S.  A.  Brower,  Joseph  Hague, 
Joseph  B.  Maxfield,  D.  G.  Garabrant  and  Charles  G. 
Russell. 

But  let  us  recall  a  few  names  among  many  honored 
and  prominent,  some  of  whom  have  occupied  official  posi- 
tions, and  some  have  not — Fisher,  Cadmus,  Dodge,  De 
Graw,  Smalley,  Peacock,  Hewitt,  Beardsley,  Hall,  Wat- 
kins,  Farmer,  Miller,  Osborne,  Taylor.  Whitman — ^but 
we  must  stop;  the  entire  list  would  far  exceed  your 
patience,  and  while  those  named  include  the  most  of  those 
who  have  held  official  positions,  it  is  quite  probable  that 
as  the  Master  looks  over  the  roll  he  may  pick  out  many 
unknown  to  office,  but  whose  life  and  influence  were 
equally  or  even  more  powerful  in  carrying  forward  His 
work. 

Many  of  the  names  mentioned  recall  to  our  minds 
noble  women  who  have  labored  here  with  a  loyalty  and 
faith  surpassing  that  of  the  brethren.  As  the  vast  major- 
ity of  our  membership  has  been  women,  and  they  have 
always  carried  their  share  of  the  burdens  and  done  their 
share  of  the  work,  we  are  certain  the  honor  for  whatever 
has  been  accomplished  must  very  largely  be  awarded  to 
them. 

Surely  in  closing  this  hasty  and  imperfect  resume  of 
the  fifty  years  just  closed  we  shall  say,  "Because  Thou 
hast  been  our  help,  therefore  in  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings 
will  we  rejoice." 


68 
FINANCIAL   STATEMENT. 

The  treasurer  submitted  the  following  financial  state- 
ment : 

Cost  of  Sunday-school  building  and  improvements  in  main 
audience  room,  including  organ,  furniture,  etc  $20,923  78 

Toward  this  there  had  been  secured  up  to  time 
of  completion,  March  i,  1892,  in  cash $6,502  45 

The  balance  was  covered  by : 

Mortgage    $10,000  00 

Floating  debt 7,109  00 

Total  debt,  March  i,  1892 $17,10900 

This  indebtedness  has  been  paid  as  follows : 

In  1892    $2,053  00 

1893    1,856  00 

1894    2,950  00 

1895    1,50000 

1896    964  00 

1897    1,02400 

1898    1,51200 

1899    1,250  00 

1900   1,300  00 

1901     2,700  00 

$17,109  00 


REV.  JOHN  M.  CARVELL, 
Missionary  to  Assam,  India.    Supported  by  the  Church. 


V 


69 

POEM. 
By  Jos.  B.  Maxfield. 


No  Mortgage  on  the  Church. 

Now  let  us  kill  the  "fatted  calf," 

And  celebrate  this  day, 
For  the  dreadful  mortgage  on  the  church 

At  last  is  wiped  away. 
We've  burned  the  papers  sure  enough; 

They  are  dead  as  dead  can  be. 
Let  us  laugh  and  sing  together. 

For  the  dear  old  church  is  free. 

We've  had  this  burden  on  our  hands 

For  years  and  years  together, 
But  never  once  our  courage  failed. 

Through  cold  or  stormy  weather. 
We  knew  the  day  would  come  at  last 

When  the  struggle  would  be  ended, 
And  shouts  of  joy  and  words  of  praise 

With  glad  hosannahs  blended. 

A  Goliath  first  it  looked  to  be, 

Of   massive   form   and   bearded. 
But  it  has  met  a  mightier  foe 

In  our  matchless  Treasurer  David; 
With  faith  and  works  he  led  us  on. 

From  year  to  year  untiring, 
And  by  his  noble  deeds  and  words 

Our  courage  oft  inspiring. 

To  him  we  owe  our  grateful  thanks 

For  all  his  patient  toiling. 
E'en  though  at  times  he  wearied  us 

With  his  persistent  "dunning"  : 
We're  thankful  that  he  punched  us  up, 

The  mortgage  punch'd  and  down'd, 
Until  at  last  we  knocked  it  out 

In  this  great  "Jubilee"  round. 


70 

We've  had  a  Cook,  a  perfect  chef, 

Who  has  kept  the  pot  a-boiling, 
And  stirred  us  up  with  tongue  of  fire 

When  obstacles  were  appaUing. 
He  had  a  hobby  that  he  rode 

(We  confess  it  was  a  good  one), 
For  every  time  he  got  a  chance 

He  preached  the  "Tenth  of  Income." 

His  plan  was  good,  his  motive  pure, 

Well  based  on  Scripture  doctrine, 
And  found  a  lodgment  in  our  hearts 

Which  we  will  never  swerve  from; 
Some  of  us  had  already  learned 

The  art  of  systematics, 
And  so  we  hailed  with  heartfelt  joy 

Our  Pastor's  giving  tactics. 

God  bless  him  for  his  faithful  work, 

His  long  and  blessed  labor, 
And  may  he  never  come  to  want 

Nor  grow  less  in  public  favor ; 
May  peace  and  joy  his  pathway  bless. 

And  plenty  crown  his  larder. 
And  every  year  he  stays  with  us, 

May  we  love  him  more  and  harder. 

Our  people  too  were  good  and  true. 

Well  drilled  in  ways  of  giving; 
They  took  right  hold,  both  young  and  old, 

All  previous   records  breaking. 
Some  viewed  with  fear  the  startling  pace, 

And  wondered  where  we'd  fetch  up. 
But  on  we  went  with  one  intent, 

That  mortgage  for  to  burn  up. 

And  now  we've  got  the  mortgage  off 

And  feel  a  sort  of  easy. 
What  shall  we  do  with  our  spare  change, 

How  keep  from  getting  lazy? 


71 

We've  got  so  used  to  "shelling  out," 

It  will  be  hard  to  stop, 
And  some  new  way  we  soon  must  find 

Or  we  will  have  a  "drop." 

Some  say  this  room  in  which  we  meet 

Is  open  to  improvement; 
That  here  we  well  might  try  our  skill 

In  a  new  expansion  movement. 
Well,  howsoever  this  may  be. 

Of  one  thing  be  assured. 
When  that  time  comes,  and  come  it  may. 

You'll  find  us  all  on  board. 

Now,  while  our  hearts  are  full  of  joy, 

Pray  let  us  not  forget 
To  thank  the  God  of  grace  and  love 

For  being  out  of  debt; 
He  gave  the  silver  and  the  gold, 

Nor  left  us  in  the  lurch. 
But  lengthened  out  our  days  to  see 

No  mortgage  on  the  church. 


JOSEPH   F.  SANXAY. 
Trustee,  1868-1882. 


CHARLES  W.  MAXFIELD. 
Deacon,  1871-1883. 
Trustee,  1871-1885. 


JOSEPH  B.  MAXFIELD. 
Clerk,   1866-1868. 
Trustee,  1867- 
Treasurer,  1868-1889. 
Deacon,  1887- 


DAVID  G.   GARABRANT. 
Clerk,  1868-1893. 
Trustee,  1875- 
Treasurer,  1893- 


SBjenomin^tion^l  ^»h* 


Baptist  Day  was  observed  by  a  women's  meeting  in 
the  afternoon  at  three  o'clock,  which  was  addressed  by 
Mrs.  R.  M.  Luther  on  "The  Personal  Element  in  Ser- 
vice." By  many  incidents  she  illustrated  her  theme  and 
showed  that  it  made  all  the  difference  with  Christian  peo- 
ple when  through  some  providence  of  God,  or  call,  they 
were  brought  into  personal  relations  to  God's  great  world 
work.  The  mother  whose  daughter  becomes  a  missionary 
on  the  foreign  field  is  awakened  to  a  new  and  tender  inter- 
est in  missions  such  as  she  never  had  before. 

At  this  service  one  of  the  two  surviving  constituent 
members  of  the  church,  Mrs.  Ellen  Clark,  was  present, 
and  was  warmly  greeted  by  those  who  had  known  her  in 
the  early  days  of  the  church's  history,  and  by  others  also 
who  were  glad  to  grasp  the  hand  of  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  church.  The  past  was  made  a  little  more 
real  to  many  by  this  pleasing  incident. 

There  was  also  present  at  this  service  Mrs.  Sarah  D. 
Stubbert,  whose  husband.  Rev.  W.  F.  Stubbert,  D.  D,, 
was  pastor  from  1869  to  1876.  The  afternoon  meeting 
was  followed  by  a  five  o'clock  tea,  served  in  the  dining- 
room  and  enjoyed  by  a  large  company. 

(73) 


74 
Deacon  F.  C.  Foster  presided  at  the  evening  service. 
After  devotional  exercises,  conducted  by  Mr.  Henry  Rus- 
sell, messages  of  congratulation  were  read  from  a  num- 
ber of  New  Jersey  Baptist  churches,  from  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union,  the  American  Baptist  Publica- 
tion Society  and  from  Rev.  J.  M.  Carvell,  the  missionary 
representative  of  the  church  in  Assam,  India.  Words  of 
greeting  were  also  spoken  by  Rev.  D.  Dewolf,  secretary 
of  the  New  Jersey  Baptist  Missionary  Convention;  by 
Rev.  Paul  J.  Lux,  pastor  of  the  Washington  Street 
Church,  Orange,  while  the  following  message  was  pre- 
sented by  Rev.  J.  H.  Brittain  on  behalf  of  the  Brookdale 
church. 

The  Brookdale  Baptist  Church,  the  six-year-old 
daughter,  brings  to  the  Bloomfield  Baptist  Church  special 
greetings  and  congratulations  on  this  Golden  Jubilee 
occasion.  We  are  happy  with  you  over  the  completed 
half-century  of  patient  effort  and  noble  achievement. 
The  faith  and  zeal  of  consecrated  pastors  and  leaders 
whom  you  have  devotedly  followed  is  crystallized  in  the 
missionary  record  which  you  have  made — a  record  which 
is  spoken  of  in  all  the  churches  to  the  praise  of  Him  who 
said  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature."  You  are  what  you  are  by  the  grace  of 
God  and  missions.  The  same  is  true  of  the  great  Baptist 
denomination.  The  Church  of  Christ  finds  its  incentive 
and  aim  in  giving  the  Gospel  to  a  perishing  world,  begin- 
ning at  Jerusalem  or  at  home.  And  so  your  little  daugh- 
ter at  Brookdale  aspires  to  tread  in  the  footsteps  of  her 


75 

honored  mother,  growing  in  grace  and  knowledge  by 
feeding  upon  the  Word,  although  the  food  may  not  be  as 
well  cooked  as  in  the  maternal  home  at  Bloomfield.  Still 
we  are  pressing  forward  and  rejoice  to  say  that  our  gifts 
to  missions  have  been  larger  per  member  than  those  of 
many  stronger  churches. 

It  is  an  almost  incredible  fact  that  the  Brookdale 
Baptist  Church  occupies  the  house  and  field  of  an  aban- 
doned Methodist  church.  When  Henry  Hepburn  bought 
that  building  after  it  had  been  deserted  for  years,  and 
saved  it  from  becoming  a  barn  and  presented  it  to  the 
Baptist  Church,  he  gave  the  1200  people  of  Brookdale 
another  opportunity  of  hearing  about  Him  who  came  to 
seek  and  save  that  which  is  lost.  We  are  on  missionary 
ground  and  are  doing  mission  work.  We  ask  your  sym- 
pathy and  prayers  that,  inspired  by  the  example  of  the 
mother  church,  the  infant  church  and  all  other  churches 
may  attain  to  greater  power  and  usefulness  as  the  years 
go  by  until  the  Master  Himself  shall  come  and  take  us  to 
the  mansions  which  He  has  gone  to  prepare. 

The  special  music  of  the  evening  was  a  solo  by  Mr. 
William  R.  Smith,  "The  Lord  is  My  Light,"  and  a  duet, 
by  Messrs.  E.  M.  Healy  and  William  R.  Smith,  "In  the 
Cross  of  Christ  I  Glory."  Mr.  Herbert  E.  Clarke  pre- 
sided at  the  organ.  The  following  address  by  Rev.  Kerr 
Boyce  Tupper,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  on  "The  Supreme 
Mission  of  Twentieth  Century  Baptists,"  greatly  quick- 
ened Baptist  enthusiasm,  and  made  all  feel  that  it  meant 
something  to  be  a  Baptist  in  this  wonderful  century  upon 
which  we  have  entered. 


76 

ADDRESS. 
By  Rev.  Kerr  Boyce  Tupper,  D.  D.,  LL.  D., 

Pastor  of  First  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia. 


Subject. — The  supreme  mission  of  twentieth  century  Baptists. 


Conspicuous  among  the  systems  of  religious  truth 
prominent  in  our  day  we  find  one  designated  and  known 
as  Baptist.  This  system  is  embraced  by  about  four  mil- 
lions of  people,  who  stand  up  and  out  before  the  world 
marked  by  certain  distinguishing  features  of  faith  and 
practice.  With  characteristic  grace  and  liberality,  Dr. 
George  Dana  Boardman  has  summarized  the  various 
Christian  denominations  substantially  thus :  Romanism 
gives  play  to  the  sense  side  of  religion,  Episcopacy  to  the 
aesthetic  side,  Presbyterianism  to  the  theological  side, 
Methodism  to  the  active  side,  Quakerism  to  the  passive 
side,  Congregationalism  to  the  independent  side,  while 
Baptists  emphasize  and  illustrate  the  exact  side.  This 
characterization,  so  far  at  least  as  Baptists  are  concerned, 
is,  I  believe,  absolutely  accurate.  As  a  denomination  we 
are  stamped  by  a  certain  exactness  unknown  to  any  other 
religious  body  besides  our  own — an  exactness  so  univer- 
sal and  differentiating  that  the  very  name  Baptist  is  a 
synonym  for  something  definite  and  distinct,  and  that 
something  always  and  everywhere  the  same. 

We  are  interested  then,  in  asking :  What  is  the 
supreme  mission  of  Baptists?  As  a  body,  what  is  their 
characteristic  tenet?  As  an  organization,  what  is  their 
peculiar  work?  As  a  system,  what  is  the  one  dominant 
principle,  the  natural  and  logical  influence  of  which  is  to 
produce  a  class  of  Christians  such  as  Baptists?  What 
would  the  world  lose  or  what  gain  if  the  fundamental 
principle  of  Baptists  were  carried  out  to  its  legitimate 


JOHN  RASSBACH 
Trustee,  1883- 
Deacon,  1884- 


ge;orge  w.  pancoast. 

Trustee,  1878-1S83. 


HENRY  KUSSKLL. 
Trustee,  1883- 1S92. 
Deacon,  1887-1892. 


FRANK  B.  STONE. 
Deacon,  1887- 


77 

results,  accumulating  force  and  meaning  with  each  re- 
volving age?  In  short,  what  does  this  mighty  army  of 
four  million  believers  stand  for  and  battle  for  in  the  great 
company  of  God's  children? 

This  is  the  one  thought  on  which  I  would  have  our 
attention  converge  at  this  time,  with  prayer  that  I  may 
speak  fervidly  but  not  fiercely,  courageously  but  not  con- 
troversially, biblically  but  not  with  bigotry,  without 
reserve  as  to  what  the  speaker  believes,  but  not  without 
respect  for  what  others  believe,  contending  for  truth  more 
than  for  victory. 

Now,  if  I  interpret  aright  the  genesis  and  genius,  the 
purpose  and  power  of  our  beloved  denomination,  its 
supreme  mission  may  be  expressed  in  a  single  sentence : 
to  maintain  among  ourselves  and  to  propagate  and 
develop  among  others  absolute  loyalty  to  God's  zvord  and 
will,  both  in  creed  and  in  deed,  both  in  belief  and  in  life. 
This  one  definite,  exalted  aim  comprehends  all  else 
connected  with  our  faith,  even  as  "the  narrow  tubes  of  a 
telescope  comprehend  within  themselves  the  distant  fields 
of  heavenly  space."  The  great,  grand  work  of  thor- 
oughly genuine  Baptists  is  to  win  the  world  to  Christ,  to 
develop  the  Church  of  God,  and  to  advance  humanity  in 
the  highest  principles  of  Christian  civilization  upon  the 
basis  and  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Holy  Script- 
ures as  the  sufficient  and  final  revelation  of  God's  law  to 
mankind.  We  believe,  as  another  has  expressed  it,  that 
"Christianity  and  the  Scriptures  are  inseparable;  that 
Christianity  has  no  real  and  vital  existence  apart  from 
the  inspired  records ;  that  the  divine  oracles  are  of  univer- 
sal obligatoriness ;  that  every  appeal  to  human  authority, 
to  public  opinion,  to  convenience  or  worldly  propriety  as 
an  excuse  for  disobedience  to  God's  commands  or  to  pal- 
liate a  modification  of  the  strictness  of  divine  law,  is  a 
departure,  more  or  less  criminal,  from    what    has  been 


78 

divinely  prescribed,  and  something  which  no  Baptist  can 
ever  sanction. 

Indeed,  our  separation  from  other  Christian  bodies 
is  most  pronounced  just  here;  not — as  is  too  often  thought 
by  those  who  put  things  incidental  in  the  place  of  things 
fundamental  or  substitute  effect  for  cause — in  a  regener- 
ated church-membership,  nor  in  the  apostolic  action  and 
subjects  of  baptism,  nor  in  the  independency  of  the 
churches,  nor  in  the  separation  of  church  and  state,  but 
rather  in  this,  out  of  which  all  of  these  doctrines  proceed, 
as  light  from  the  sun  and  leaves  from  the  sap :  The 
supreme  authority  of  the  Scriptures  in  all  matters  of 
Christian  faith  and  practice ;  our  banner  ever  bearing  this 
God-honored  motto :  The  Bible,  no  addition  to  it,  no 
subtraction  from  it,  no  alteration  in  it.  As  one  of  our 
leading  American  educators  has  finely  put  it :  "While 
Baptists  are  not  alone  in  assigning  to  the  Scriptures  a 
position  of  supreme  authority  in  determining  Christian 
truth,  we  think  that  our  allegiance  to  this  principle  has 
been  more  consistent  than  that  of  any  other  body.  We 
attach  less  sacredness  to  early  councils,  creeds,  traditions, 
to  church-action,  to  the  consensus  of  religious  thought 
than  do  other  great  historic  sects  of  Christendom,  and  we 
insist  more  uniformly  and  confidently  than  they  upon  the 
solitary  pre-eminence  of  the  canonical  record,  believing 
that  it  is  sufficient,  when  rightly  interpreted,  to  guide  men 
in  the  way  of  Christian  truth  and  duty."  As  a  denomina- 
tion, Baptists  make  it  their  chief  glory  that  they  accept 
whatever  the  Bible  reveals  and  seek  to  obey  whatever  the 
Bible  enjoins,  declaring  constantly  before  the  world  that 

Of  all  the  rites  sagacious  dupes  invent, 

To  cheat  themselves  and  gain  the  world's  assent, 

The  worst  is  Scripture  warped  from  its  intent. 


79 

The  Scriptures  teach  biblical  inspiration,  Christ's 
divine  nature  and  atoning  death,  the  Holy  Spirit's  deity- 
hood,  man's  depravity,  the  church's  spiritual  character, 
the  inalienable  right  of  private  judgment  and  interpreta- 
tion, the  separation  of  church  and  state,  the  duty  to 
observe  the  ordinances  of  the  Church  as  Christ  originally 
instituted  them ;  and  Baptists  hold  it  to  be  their  unfailing 
duty  always  and  everywhere  to  be  true,  even  to  the  letter, 
in  respect  to  these  heaven-born  teachings.  To  quote  Presi- 
dent Francis  Wayland's  memorable  words :  "We  take 
for  our  guide  in  all  matters  religious,  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  whole  New  Testament,  and  nothing  but  the 
New  Testament.  Whatever  we  find  there  we  esteem 
binding  upon  the  conscience;  whatever  is  not  there  com- 
manded is  not  binding,  it  matters  not  by  what  reverence 
for  antiquity,  by  what  traditions,  by  what  councils  it  may 
be  sustained."  Yes,  in  these  high  matters  of  the  soul  we 
hear  no  voice  but  that  of  God,  claim  no  master  but  Jesus 
Christ,  have  no  creed  but  the  Holy  Bible;  and  for  one  I 
firmly  believe  that  the  Christian  who  intelligently  searches 
the  Scriptures,  candidly  accepts  their  teachings  and  loy- 
ally obeys  every  command  and  precept  therein  contained, 
cannot  fail  to  be  led  sooner  or  later,  as  were  Judson  and 
Rice  and  Carson  and  Hackett,  into  the  Baptist  fold. 

Baptists  do  not  contend  that,  as  individuals  and  a 
denomination,  they  are  superior  in  every  respect  to  other 
Christian  bodies.  God  forgive  us  that  we  are  so  un- 
worthy! But  we  do  contend  that  we  have  always  stood 
bravely  and  unflinchingly,  in  calm  and  in  storm,  in  good 
report  and  bad  report,  for  this  one  all-important  truth, 
the  supremacy  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  our  constant  and 
heroic  attitude  on  this  one  point  that  has  recently  led 
one  of  the  Andover  professors,  Dr.  Woods,  to  say :  "I 
have  wished  that    our    denomination    (Congregational) 


8o 

were  as  free  from  erratic  speculation  and  as  well  founded 
in  the  doctrines  and  experimental  principles  of  the  Puri- 
tans as  are  the  Baptists.  It  seems  to  me  that  they  are 
likely  to  maintain  pure  Christianity  and  to  hold  fast  to 
the  form  of  sound  words,  while  many  Congregationalists 
are  rather  loose  in  their  opinions  and  are  trying  to  intro- 
duce innovations  into  the  system  of  evangelical  doc- 
trines." Consonant  with  this  testimony  are  those  of  the 
two  noted  Presbyterian  ministers,  Dr.  Kittredge,  of  New 
York,  and  Dr.  Withrow,  of  Chicago ;  the  former  writing : 
*'I  honor  the  Baptists  for  their  unflinching  loyalty  to 
sound  doctrine,  for  no  one  has  ever  had  any  difficulty  in 
knowing  just  where  this  denomination  has  stood  with 
regard  to  the  massive  doctrines  which  are  the  lower  stones 
of  the  temple  of  Christianity;"  the  latter:  "I  suppose 
there  is  not  a  denomination  of  evangelical  Christians 
which  is  throughout  so  sound  theologically  as  the  Bap- 
tist denomination.  Sound  as  my  own  church  is,  sound  as 
some  others  are,  I  do  say  that,  in  my  humble  judgment, 
there  is  not  a  Christian  body  in  America  to-day  which  is 
so  true  as  the  Baptists  are  to  the  simple,  plain  Gospel  of 
God  as  revealed  in  the  New  Testament." 

Brethren,  we  want,  we  could  have  no  higher  eulogy 
than  this;  and  modestly  and  gratefully  I  say  that,  with 
all  our  faults,  we  deserve  it.  Unworthy  we  may  have 
been  in  other  things,  but  here  we  have  stood  as  a  solid 
phalanx,  unmoved  by  philosophy  and  persecution,  un- 
shaken by  sophistry  and  scorning.  From  this  high  posi- 
tion gold  has  never  bought  us,  nor  power  coerced  us,  nor 
authority  driven  us.  We  have  all  held  that  our  supreme 
mission  and  commission  from  God  has  been  to  keep  His 
Word  pure,  and  so  we  have  bent  thought  and  consecrated 
energy  to  preserve  this  Word  from  ever  becoming  covered 
by  human  ritual  and  tainted  by  human  tradition.     Cham- 


8i 

pions  we  have  sought  to  be  for  the  preservation  of  the 
sacred  oracles  from  the  harm  threatened  them  by  ration- 
alism, which  would  reject  them;  from  Romanism,  which 
would  subordinate  them  to  tradition;  and  from  Protes- 
tant creed-making,  which  would  form  as  the  basis  of  or- 
ganization man-made  articles  of  faith.  We  have  felt  that 
our  supreme  work  is  to  exalt  the  Word  above  all  else, 
whether  reason  or  conscience,  creed  or  church. 

Now,  out  of  this  basal  principle — absolute  fidelity  to 
God's  Word,  unchanged  and  unchangeable — there  grow 
three  other  important  principles  for  which  Baptists  have 
always  contended. 

First,  God's  control  alone  over  the  individual  con- 
science in  matters  of  religious  faith  and  practice.  On  the 
ground  of  divine  revelation  Baptists  emphasize  personal 
individuality — encourage  the  developing  of  individual- 
ism. Just  here  we  stand  diametrically  opposed  to  that 
gigantic  system  known  as  Romanism.  With  the  Roman 
Catholic  it  is  more  the  church  as  representative  of  Christ ; 
with  the  Baptist  it  is  more  the  individual  in  relation  to 
Christ.  In  his  address  before  the  Vatican  Council,  Arch- 
bishop Kenrick  declares :  "General  Councils  cannot  err." 
A  distinguished  follower  of  Pusey,  in  England,  writes: 
"Private  interpretation  of  the  Scriptures  must  yield  to 
the  sense  of  the  church  catholic."  Baptists  say :  "We 
must  obey  God  rather  than  men."  To  his  own  Master 
each  one  stands  or  falls.  We  lay  no  stress  on  books  of 
discipline,  directories,  church  canons,  or  confessions  of 
faith.  Our  only  Law-Giver  is  the  Lord  God  Almighty, 
who  is  and  was  and  is  to  come. 

Now,  naturally,  out  of  this  principle  of  individual 
responsibility  to  God  has  grown  our  position  on  the  ques- 
tion of  the  entire  separation  of  church  and  state.  Ages 
ago  our  Master  said:     "Render  unto  Caesar  the  things 


82 

that  are  Caesar's  and  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's." 
This  voice  we  have  heard  and  obeyed.  We  have  never 
in.  all  our  history  countenanced  the  unsafe  alliance  be- 
tween church  and  state,  which  mars  the  purity  of  the 
one  and  destroys  the  power  of  the  other.  "The  Bap- 
tists," writes  John  Locke  to  Chancellor  King,  "were  the 
first  and  only  propounders  of  absolute  liberty,  just  and 
true  liberty,  equal  and  impartial  liberty."  Bancroft  tes- 
tifies :  "Freedom  of  conscience,  unlimited  freedom  of 
the  mind,  was  from  the  first  a  trophy  of  Baptists."  Roger 
Williams  is  described  by  Southey  as  "the  man  that  began 
the  first  civil  government  on  earth  which  gives  equal  lib- 
erty of  conscience."  It  was  the  Baptist  churches  of  Eng- 
land that  addressed  James  I.  thus :  "Earthly  authority 
belongs  to  earthly  kings,  spiritual  authority  to  that  spir- 
itual kingdom  which  is  from  heaven."  It  was  Leonard 
Busher,  a  devoted  Baptist,  who  in  1614  wrote  the  first 
treatise  on  religious  freedom,  "A  Plea  for  Liberty  of 
Conscience."  In  all  the  career  of  Baptists,  let  it  be  said 
to  their  glory,  there  can  be  found  among  this  people  no 
advocacy  of  union  of  church  and  state,  no  legal  enact- 
ment by  which  to  lead  men  to  accept  their  views,  no  per- 
secution of  others  for  differing  from  them.  In  vain  does 
the  historian  look  in  the  archives  of  our  denomination  for 
such  documents  as  the  1580  National  Covenant  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  or  the  1578  Book  of  Discipline, 
each  of  which  projects  the  doctrine  that  the  civil  power 
may  control  the  church.  We  hold  to-day,  as  we  have 
ever  held,  we  shall  always  hold  on  biblical  ground,  to  the 
personal  accountability  of  every  human  soul  to  God  and 
God  alone,  as  Sovereign,  Saviour  and  Judge. 

Secondly,  the  new  birth  a  prerequisite  to  church 
membership.  Intelligent  and  candid  study  of  God's  Word 
has  led  Baptists  to  the  firm  conviction  that  the  true  church 


RICHARD  STOUT. 

Trustee,  1886-1888. 
"  i8q2-i8g6. 


ELIAS  S.  OSBORNE. 
Trustee,  1887-1893. 


SEYMOUR  P.  GILBERT. 
Trustee.  1888-1894. 
Treasurer,  1889-1893. 


J.  SPENCER  TAYLOR. 
Deacon,  1890-1900. 


83 

of  Jesus  Christ  is  "a  voluntary  and  independent  associa- 
tion of  redeemed,  obedient  believers,  united  in  spiritual 
principles  for  spiritual  ends,  and  in  the  use  of  spiritual 
means."  The  constituency  of  this  association  is  inva- 
riably designated  in  Scripture  by  such  terms  as  "believ- 
ers," "beloved  of  God,"  "sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus," 
"saints,"  "chosen  ones."  In  the  Word  it  is  declared  that 
these  members  of  Christ's  visible  body  are,  as  such,  born 
not  of  the  flesh,  but  of  the  Spirit.  Therefore  we  hold 
that  no  one  has  a  right,  according  to  the  divine  law,  to  be 
received  by  and  baptized  into  a  Christian  church,  save  he 
who  both  possesses  and  confesses  our  Lord  as  a  personal 
Redeemer.  All  the  church  should  be  "lively  stones  built 
up  into  a  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood;"  and  on  this 
ground  we  reject  the  baptism  of  infants  as  alike  disobedi- 
ence to  the  law  of  Christ  and  detrimental  in  the  end  to  the 
spirituality  of  the  church.  We  think  there  is  no  more 
clearly  revealed  truth  in  the  Word  of  God  than  that  upon 
which  Baptists  distinctively  and  invariably  insist,  namely, 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  heart  of  every  one 
admitted  to  the  privileges  and  duties  of  church  fellow- 
ship. 

Thirdly,  full,  unqualified  obedience  on  the  part  of  the 
Christian,  both  in  respect  to  the  ordinances  of  the  church 
and  to  daily  walk  and  conversation.  Baptists  hold,  in  the 
first  place,  that  the  Christian  is  under  absolute  obligation 
to  observe  the  ordinances  of  the  church  in  the  exact  form 
and  order  in  which  Christ  instituted  them.  Of  these 
ordinances  there  are  two,  and  two  only,  as  originally 
established,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper;  ordinances 
equally  important  and  equally  binding;  neither  intrin- 
sically efficacious,  each  simply  symbolical.  The  former, 
which  is  the  immersion  of  the  believer  in  water  into  the 
name  of  the  Triune  God,  symbolizes  the  cardinal  truth 


84 

of  the  death,  burial  and  resurrection  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  is  also  typical  of  the  believer's  death  to  sin  and  his 
resurrection  into  newness  of  life;  the  latter,  which  is  sol- 
emn partaking  of  bread  and  wine,  sets  forth  the  substitu- 
tionary and  sacrificial  character  of  Christ's  death,  and  is 
a  sacred  memorial  of  His  redemptive  work  for  man.  And 
neither  of  these  God-ordained  rites  may  be  changed  one 
iota  without  flagrant  disobedience  of  the  law  of  Christ. 

Take  baptism.  Baptists  are  often  charged  with 
exaggerating  its  position  in  the  Christian  system,  but  the 
fact  is  that  they  assign  no  more  and  no  less  importance 
to  it  than  Christ  imparted  centuries  ago.  It  is  alike  the 
symbol  of  a  fundamental  truth  of  Christianity  and  the 
putting  on  by  the  new  convert  of  a  significant  Christian 
uniform.  In  itself  it  means  nothing,  effects  nothing.  We 
reject  with  a  Pauline  "God  forbid"  all  such  things  as 
baptismal  regeneration  and  sacramental  grace.  It  has 
been  left  for  a  Unitarian  minister  of  Brooklyn,  Dr.  J.  W. 
Chadwick,  to  make  the  truest  representation  of  our  sys- 
tem I  have  ever  met.  "It  is  one  of  the  absurdest  miscon- 
ceptions," says  he,  "that  Baptists  have  magnified  the  sac- 
rament of  baptism.  They  are  the  people  who  have  mini- 
mized baptism  as  a  sacrament.  What  they  have  magni- 
fied is  the  free  act  of  the  soul,  giving  itself  to  God.  The 
sacrament,  the  sacred  thing,  with  them,  is  the  deliberate 
choice  which  baptism  implies."  Nothing  is  truer  than 
this.  Baptism  with  us  is  nothing  save  as  it  proclaims 
on  the  part  of  the  believer  faith  in  a  risen  Saviour  and 
consciousness  of  redemption  through  that  Saviour. 

Respecting  baptism,  our  denomination,  on  Bible 
grounds,  holds  and  proclaims,  intelligently  and  with 
unwavering  fidelity,  four  great  facts :  ( i )  It  is  a  divinely 
appointed  duty,  as  revealed  by  God's  positive  precept  and 
biblical  Christian  example;  (2)  it  is  immersion,  as  shown 


85 

by  the  original  meaning  of  the  word  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, by  the  attending  circumstances  of  the  act  as  re- 
corded in  Scripture,  by  the  most  learned  lexicographers 
of  the  Greek  language,  by  the  admissions  of  the  most 
eminent  ecclesiastical  writers,  ancient  and  modern,  and 
by  the  universal  and  constant  practice  of  the  Greek 
Church;  (3)  it  is  the  immersion  of  a  believer  in  Jesus 
Christ,  as  declared  by  the  commands  and  precepts  of 
Scripture  and  the  highest  Pedobaptist  authorities. 

And  Baptists  emphasize  and  seek  to  illustrate,  day 
by  day,  obedience  to  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  in  life 
as  well  as  in  ordinances.  With  them  truth  lived  is  more 
than  truth  taught.  Deed  is  more  than  creed.  The  one 
is  a  system,  the  other  a  demonstration  of  Christianity's 
principles  and  power.  We  would  obey  our  Lord  in  all 
things  and  at  all  times.  It  is  this  spirit.  I  beheve,  that 
has  given  Baptists  so  proud  and  noble  a  place  in  the  plan 
of  the  world's  evangelization  during  the  past  one  hun- 
dred years.  It  was  the  Baptist  Carey  who  a  century 
ago  stirred  all  England  in  the  matter  of  foreign  mis- 
sions. It  was  the  Baptist  Hughes  who  became  the  mov- 
ing spirit  in  the  establishment  of  the  first  great  Bible 
Society  for  sending  the  Scriptures  to  the  nations.  They 
were  Baptists  who  first  translated  the  Scriptures  into 
heathen  languages,  and  Baptists  who  planted  the  first 
Christian  churches  in  India,  Burma  and  China.  And 
whence  their  inspiration  in  these  heroic  endeavors?  These 
men  believed  God's  word  and  would  do  God's  will,  and 
this  is  from  that  word  and  will :  "Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 

A  final  thought :  The  hope  of  Baptists  in  the  future 
as  the  glory  of  Baptists  in  the  past  is  in  loyalty  to  Chris- 
tian truth  when  holding  forth  the  word  of  life;  not  in 
numerical  strength,   not  in  educational  institutions,  not 


86 

in  ecclesiastical  appointments,  not  in  scholarly  attain- 
ments, not  in  social  culture,  important  and  desirable  as 
each  of  these  may  be,  but  in  fidelity  to  the  unchangeable 
oracles  of  the  Most  High  once  for  all  delivered  to  the 
saints.  Oh !  brethren  in  Christ  and  in  church- fellowship, 
if  there  is  one  prayer  that  you  and  I  should  offer  more 
fervently  and  constantly  than  another,  day  by  day,  in  this 
present  dangerous  period  of  theological  agitation  and 
even  revolution,  it  is  that  our  beloved  denomination 
should  be  true  always  to  the  infallible  Word  of  the  Eternal 
Father  as  the  only  divine  standard  of  piety  and  the  only 
true  code  of  morals ;  that  Baptists  all  over  our  land  and  the 
world  should  discourage  the  tendency  so  prevalent  to-day 
of  becoming  latitudinarian  under  the  guise  of  charity,  of 
disparaging  faith  in  zeal  to  promote  works,  of  yielding  to 
the  growing  process  in  some  quarters  of  eliminating  so- 
called  non-essentials  of  Scripture ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  this  people,  so  honored  and  blessed  of  God  in  the 
years  gone  by,  shall  proclaim  with  a  voice  that  will  be 
heard  and  cannot  be  misconstrued,  that  all  the  principles 
of  the  old  Book  are  eternal,  all  its  laws  divine,  all  its 
obligations  binding. 

Our  principles  are  vital;  let  us  make  them  vigorous 
and  in  God's  good  time  we  shall  behold  them  victorious. 


THOMAS  C.  WHITMAN. 
Deacon,  1893-1895. 


WILIvIAM  J.  MILLER. 
Deacox,  1.S95-1900. 


WALTER  M.  HOPLER. 
Trustee,  1894-1896. 


WILLIAM  BALDWIN. 
Trustee,  1894- 


^v^ti^vn^l  IJ3»j2f4 


The  closing  day  of  the  jubilee  celebration  was  re- 
served for  a  recognition  of  the  spiritual  unity  and  fellow- 
ship of  all  evangelical  Christians,  and  the  service  held  in 
the  evening  of  November  27  was  a  fine  climax  to  the  ex- 
cellent and  inspiring  meetings  of  the  anniversary.  Devo- 
tional exercises  were  conducted  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Johnston, 
D.  D.,  president  of  the  Bloomfield  Evangelical  Union 
and  pastor  of  the  Park  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Dr.  Johnston  and  the  following  pastors  in  kindly  words 
voiced  their  fraternal  congratulations :  Revs.  C.  O. 
Zesch,  of  the  German  Presbyterian  Church;  George  A. 
Paull,  of  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  and  P. 
G.  Blight,  of  the  Watsessing  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
These  messages  of  greeting  were  followed  by  an  address 
by  Rev.  H.  W.  Ballantine,  D.  D.,  of  Nyack,  N.  Y.,  for- 
merly pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Bloom- 
field,  on  "Interdenominational  Fellowship  and  Coopera- 
tion." The  entire  service  greatly  intensified  the  fraternal 
feeling  already  existing  between  the  Bloomfield  churches, 
and  contributed  to  the  richness  and  completeness  of  the 
feast  of  joy. 

(87) 


88 

Miss  Anna  J.  Kinsey  and  Mr.  J.  W.  Noble  were  the 
soloists  for  the  evening,  and  added  much  to  the  enjoyment 
of  all  by  the  selections  rendered. 

Before  closing  the  service  Pastor  C.  A.  Cook  ex- 
pressed his  own  and  the  church's  appreciation  for  all  the 
kind  words  of  congratulation  which  it  had  been  their 
pleasure  to  hear,  but  wished  to  pass  all  the  praise  on  to 
the  Lord  Jesus,  who  had  blessed  and  prospered  the 
church  and  made  it  what  it  was.  He  then  invited  the 
congregation  to  join  in  singing  the  doxology,  and  with 
the  benediction  the  series  of  services  which  had  created 
so  much  interest  and  had  lifted  the  church  to  such  a 
high  plane  of  rejoicing  and  inspiration,  were  brought 
to  a  close. 

ADDRESS. 
By  Rev.  H.  W.  Ballantine. 


Subject. — Interdenominational   fellowship  and  co-operation. 

Christian  Brethren  and  Friends : 

It  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to  me  to  be  called,  on  this 
occasion,  to  be  your  spokesman  for  interdenominational 
fellowship  and  co-operation;  because  these  Christian 
graces  grow  and  flourish  in  this  town  of  Bloomfield  above 
any  other  place  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  Joined 
together  in  your  Evangelical  Union,  all  the  churches  of 


this  community  excepting  two — not  a  large  exception, 
considering  the  infirmities  of  human  nature — present 
constantly  a  united  front  to  the  world. 

Four  times  each  year  all  your  pastors,  with  the  ex- 
ceptions mentioned,  appear  together  in  the  pulpit,  and  in 
turn  they  preach  to  the  united  congregations  the  one  Gos- 
pel of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  which  all  alike 
embrace.    This  is  interdenominational  co-operation. 

Four  times  each  year  also  your  mid-week  prayer 
meetings  are  merged  into  one,  in  your  different  prayer 
rooms  by  rotation,  wherein  you  testify  before  one  another 
tc  the  grace  of  God  bestowed  upon  you  severally,  and 
then,  giving  thanks  together,  you  seek  in  common  sup- 
plications for  further  gifts  from  the  one  Father  of  all. 
This  is  interdenominational  fellowship.  Some  eight 
years  ago,  with  great  care  you  divided  your  whole  town 
into  districts  of  about  ten  families  each,  to  be  visited  and 
otherwise  ministered  unto ;  the  visitors  reporting  to  super- 
intendents, and  these  in  turn  to  the  united  pastors,  both 
visitors  and  superintendents  being  selected  without  any 
regard  to  denominational  connection,  but  solely  with  re- 
gard to  fitness  for  the  work;  the  aim  being  to  lift  every 
soul  in  the  community  nearer  to  our  Saviour  Christ.  This 
was  both  fellowship  and  co-operation — as  admirable  as 
it  was  helpful. 

And  now  I  can  think  of  nothing  at  the  same  time 
more  pertinent  to  my  theme  and  more  congruous  to  this 
present  occasion  than  to  recall  to  your  remembrance  how 
all  these  things  came  about.  With  whom  did  these  plans 
originate?  Perhaps  some  of  you  do  not  know,  possibly 
never  knew ;  but  I  happen  to  know ;  with  none  other  than 
the  pastor  of  this  church  and  my  brother,  Charles  A. 
Cook.  His  zeal  and  Christian  love  continually  urged  the 
rest  of  us  forward  until  we  found  ourselves  practicing 


90 

them.  It  is  a  pleasure  and  a  privilege  for  me  to  bear  this 
testimony  to  him  at  this  time. 

Allow  me  to  tell  you  the  story.  I  shall  have  to  ask 
you  to  go  back  ten  years;  but  people  who  have  for  days 
past  been  going  back  and  forth  over  fifty  years  ought 
not,  even  at  so  late  an  hour,  to  account  this  too  severe  a 
task. 

Early  in  the  year  1891,  not  satisfied  with  what  our 
churches  had  been  achieving  separately,  the  pastors  and 
some  earnest  workers  from  the  several  congregations 
began  to  counsel  with  one  another  whether  more  could 
not  be  accomplished  by  working  together,  and  we  resolved 
to  send  a  united  invitation  to  the  well-known  evangelist, 
Rev.  Benjamin  Fay  Mills,  to  come  and  conduct  a  series 
of  meetings  here,  which  he  accordingly  did  in  the  month 
of  March. 

But  we  did  not  defer  our  interdenominational  co-op- 
eration until  the  evangelist  arrived.  The  pastors  began 
the  month  with  general  exchanges  of  pulpits,  preaching 
in  one  another's  church  in  rotation  for  two  successive 
Sundays.  Before  the  middle  of  the  month  we  began  to 
hold  our  weekly  prayer  meetings  as  well ;  the  first  union 
prayer  meeting  being  held  in  this  church.  Such  as  could 
sing  in  the  several  congregations  had  for  some  time  pre- 
vious been  joining  for  practice  in  one  large  choir  to  lead 
the  service  of  song  in  the  great  meetings.  Soon  all  hearts 
were  flowing  together,  and  when  the  evangelists  came 
they  found  us  all  present  with  one  accord  in  one  place 
to  hear  all  the  things  that  had  been  commanded  them  of 
God  for  us.  Those  were  memorable  days.  A  sound 
from  heaven,  as  of  a  rushing,  mighty  wind,  filled  all  the 
house  where  we  were  sitting.  With  great  power  all  gave 
witness  to  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  Lord 
added  to  the  church  daily  such  as  were  being  saved. 


JOHN  CAUSBROOK. 
Trustee,  1895-1897. 


WALTER  L.  TOWER. 
Trustee,  1S97- 
Deacon,  iqoi- 


CHARLES  S.  TKAIvL. 
Trustee,  1897- 


HARRY  L.  OSBORNE- 
Trustee,  1897- 


91 

We  were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul — neither  said 
any  of  us  that  aught  of  the  things  we  possessed  were  our 
own,  but  we  had  all  things  common.  And,  continuing 
daily  with  one  accord  in  God's  temple,  we  did  eat  our 
meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart. 

Fellow-Christians,  those  of  us  who  participated  in 
them  can  never  forget  the  exaltation  and  fervor  of  those 
days.  Hundreds  of  souls  will  bless  God  to  all  eternity 
for  them.    All  our  streams  ran  bank-full. 

Has  any  person,  think  you,  ever  raised  the  question 
whether  that  high  flood  of  blessing  could  have  been  real- 
ized by  our  churches  acting  apart  and  separately  ?  Nay ! 
every  soul  of  us  knew  then,  as  we  know  now,  by  the  wit- 
ness of  God's  Holy  Spirit  with  our  spirit,  that  it  would  be 
impossible.  What  we  enjoyed  and  shall  enjoy  as  long  as 
we  exist,  we  all  gratefully  remember  was  the  direct  out- 
come of  interdenominational  fellowship  and  co-opera- 
tion. 

No  single  church,  no  one  denomination,  keeping  by 
itself,  could  ever  so  have  moved  a  whole  community  as 
Bloomfield  was  then  moved.  And  no  conceivable  separate 
meetings  could  stir  Christian  souls  to  such  depths  or  en- 
large them  with  such  Christlike  charity.  After  these 
joyous  experiences  of  fellowship  we  found  ourselves  un- 
willing to  return  to  the  former  separate  ways.  All  hearts 
demanded  frequent  union  services,  both  for  preaching 
and  prayer,  and  these  were  always  thronged. 

So  matters  went  on,  in  a  spontaneous  and  unregu- 
lated way,  for  more  than  a  year ;  your  pastor  urging  con- 
tmually  some  more  organized  form  of  union,  until,  in 
the  summer  of  1892,  at  the  request  of  the  other  pastors, 
he  prepared  and  presented  the  plan  of  the  Bloomfield 
Evangelical  Union,  which  was  unanimously  accepted  by 
the  churches;  and  he,  as  was  fitting,  was  elected  its  first 
president. 


92 

Christian  brethren,  however  the  case  may  be  in  other 
places,  here  in  Bloomfield  it  is  not  necessary  to  search 
in  the  Scriptures  to  find  warrant  for  fellowship  and  co- 
operation ;  nor  to  turn  the  pages  of  ancient  church  his- 
tory to  find  testimonials  to  their  admirable  excellence : 
our  own  experience  offers  proofs  enough,  and  abundantly 
witnesses  the  divine  sanction. 

But  I  must  not  leave  your  eyes  turned  towards  the 
past.  You  are  closing  now,  it  is  true,  a  retrospect  of 
fifty  years ;  but  this  is  not  a  funeral,  celebrating  a  finished 
life;  rather  an  observation  tower  by  the  wayside.  More 
half-centuries  lie  before  you  than  behind  you,  as  a  church ; 
and  all  Christendom  realizes  that  the  world  is  now  in  the 
opening  year  of  a  new  century.  We  must  turn  to  the 
future. 

Those  who  have  watched  the  recent  movements  in 
the  world  as  God's  all-controlling  Providence  has  been 
lining  up  the  world's  forces  for  the  further  advance  of 
His  kingdom  on  earth,  have  been  impressed  with  the 
notable  trend  everywhere  towards  co-operation. 

The  secret  of  the  achievements  in  many  lines  of  the 
world's  business — political,  commercial,  industrial — so 
marvellously  surpassing  those  of  any  former  period,  is 
found  to  lie  chiefly  in  the  use  made  of  co-operation. 

One  takes  now  a  cushioned  seat  in  a  train  at  Jersey 
City,  and  without  change  of  posture  if  he  chooses,  in  less 
than  five  hours  finds  himself  in  front  of  the  National  Capi- 
tol at  Washington.  At  the  beginning  of  the  half-century 
you  have  been  reviewing,  the  same  journey  would  have 
required  a  whole  day.  One  went  first  to  Camden  by  the 
Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  and  then  ferrying  across 
the  Delaware  and  transferring  by  a  stage  across  Phila- 
delphia took  another  train  on  another  railroad  for  Balti- 
more, where  a  similar  change  had  to  be  made  and  the 


93 

journey  completed  b)^  a  third  distinct  and  unconnected 
railway.  This  journey  might  at  any  time  require  more 
than  one  day :  because  the  railway  companies  did  not 
co-operate  and  the  trains  of  one  would  not  wait  for  the 
arrival  of  those  of  another. 

Most  of  the  railroads  had  no  track  connection  with 
each  other,  so  that  freight  had  all  to  be  unloaded  and 
carted  across  the  cities  and  reloaded,  more  than  doubling 
both  time  and  cost  of  transportation. 

But  the  railroad  companies  by  and  by  learned  the 
immense  gain  there  is  in  co-operation.  Passenger  coaches 
and  freight  cars  now  run  through  without  change  and 
without  breaking  bulk,  from  ocean  to  ocean,  from  Maine 
to  Florida,  and  rumors  come  of  a  mysterious  movement 
to  effect  a  still  closer  co-operation  by  an  arrangement 
called  "community  of  interest,"  the  vast  effects  of  which 
remain  to  be  seen. 

Another  familiar  instance  of  the  advantage  of  com- 
bination is  found  in  the  department  store.  Formerly  we 
knew  only  numerous  small  retail  stores,  but  now  we  are 
served  at  an  immense  saving  of  time  and  fatigue  in  huge 
department  stores  where  under  one  roof  a  person  may 
obtain  in  one  purchase  all  the  articles  he  usually  requires. 
And  the  goods,  coming  directly  from  the  manufactory, 
are  obtained  at  less  cost  as  well. 

Not  to  multiply  instances  further,  I  wish  simply  to 
point  out  that  the  same  principle  applies  equally  in  Chris- 
tian work.  The  days  have  been  when  God's  kingdom 
might  seem  to  be  served  well  enough  by  separate  denom- 
inations, paying  no  regard  to  each  other,  or  even  by 
isolated  congregations,  each  retailing  its  own  small  sup- 
ply of  special  doctrine.  But  those  days  are  past.  To 
keep  up  with  the  pace  the  world  is  now  moving  at,  the 
churches,  the  denominations,  the  children  of  the  king- 


94 

dom  must  co-operate,  must  combine,  and,  ceasing  to  con- 
tend against  each  other,  and  ceasing  to  ignore  each  other, 
must  form  one  soHd  "community  of  interest." 

Only  so  can  the  work  of  winning  the  world  for 
Christ  be  accomplished!  Only  so  can  we  keep  up  with 
the  world  which  we  are  to  work  upon,  and  not  find  our- 
selves hopelessly  behind  in  these  times. 

Interdenominational  fellowship  and  co-operation 
were  always  beautiful  and  commendable;  now,  hence- 
forth, they  are  indispensable.  To  neglect  them  is  to  fail ; 
just  as  any  railroad  will  fail  which  shall  refuse  to  connect 
with  and  co-operate  with  contiguous  roads. 

Nay,  more :  the  time  is  fast  approaching  when  it  will 
be  necessary  for  our  denominations  to  advance  beyond 
mere  friendly  co-operation,  even  to  the  consummation  of 
that  "oneness"  which  our  departing  Lord  set  His  pro- 
phetic gaze  upon  and  prayed  for.  You  recollect  how  it  was 
with  our  thirteen  American  Colonies :  they  had  been  very 
jealous  of  their  separate  independence,  until  the  stress  of 
war  compelled  them  to  make  common  cause.  But  when 
independence  had  been  achieved  through  co-operation, 
their  Articles  of  Confederation  proved  inadequate  for 
either  commercial  prosperity  at  home  or  political  con- 
sideration abroad.  So,  after  ten  years  of  painful  and 
disappointing  experiment,  urged  on  by  that  only  man 
whom  all  alike  trusted.  General  Washington,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  form  what  they  themselves  described  as  "a 
more  perfect  union;"  and  the  United  States  of  America, 
with  its  motto  "E  Pluribus  Unum,"  "One  Out  of  Many," 
was  the  result.  Immediately  commercial  prosperity  at 
home  and  respect  abroad  revived,  and  every  American 
found  it  a  prouder  thing  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States  than  previously  to  be  a  citizen  of  New  Jersey  or  of 
Virginia.     Just  so  is  it  with  our  denominations — while 


95 

for  the  present,  perhaps,  during  the  stress  of  conflict  now 
upon  us  in  our  winning  the  world  for  Christ  our  Lord, 
fellowship  and  co-operation  may  be  sufficient,  in  the  days 
of  the  Kingdom  we  shall  surely  find  it  necessary  to  go 
further  and  effect  a  unity.  In  view  of  which  event, 
which  is  as  certain  as  anything  in  the  future  can  be  cer- 
tain, it  is.  to  say  the  least,  prudent  for  us  to  abstain  very 
carefully  from  all  mutual  detractions  and  disparagements, 
and  wise  for  us  to  cultivate  in  advance  all  possible  inter- 
denominational fellowship  and  co-operation.  And  if 
some  earnest  souls  shall  hesitate,  fearing  lest  this  course 
may  involve  a  measure  of  dereliction  from  loyalty  towards 
those  particular  truths  which  our  different  denominations 
have  felt  themselves  entrusted  with,  to  bear  aloft,  let  a 
watchword  from  the  Apostle  Paul  re-assure  them.  He 
closed  one  of  his  epistles  with  this  noble  and  generous 
and  bold  sentiment :  "Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity."  Under  such  leader- 
ship we  need  not  be  afraid.  Christian  brethren,  I  con- 
gratulate you  on  your  love  for  the  virtues  of  inter- 
denominational fellowship  and  co-operation  during  your 
first  half-century.  Fear  not  to  continue  the  same  during 
your  next,  which  I  trust  shall  in  due  time  be  celebrated 
here  as  happily  as  this  past  one  has  been. 

Swiftly  the  flying  years  have  brought 

This  golden  milestone  on  your  way ; 
One  work,  one  aim,  one  hope,  one  end, 

You   gratefully   recall   to-day. 

May    richer    blessings    still    attend 
Your    ever-onward    pathway    bright, 

Till  golden  gates  at  last  reveal 
One  home  of  love,  where  all  is  light ! 


FRANCIS  C.  FOSTKR. 
Deacon,  1901- 


EDWARD  T.  VAN  VLEIT- 
Deacon,  1901- 


CHARLES  G.  RUSSELL- 
Clerk,  1893-1897. 


FRANKLIN  A.  STONE- 
Clerk,  1S97- 


^wnitai3!^J5<^l7<»)0(l  W^ixvU^ 


Within  two  months  after  the  organization  of  the 
church  on  November  25,  1851,  a  Sunday-school  was 
estabHshed.  Full  and  positive  information  of  the  begin- 
ning of  the  work  cannot  be  given,  as  the  early  records 
have  been  lost.  Among  the  first  workers,  however,  were 
the  following:  Uzal  D.  Ward,  the  first  superintendent; 
Samuel  A.  Brower,  William  Clark,  Robert  Travis,  Mrs. 
Mary  Davison,  Miss  Martha  M.  Jones  (now  Mrs.  Henry 
Spear)  and  Miss  Angie  A.  Fisher.  There  were  about 
twenty  scholars  to  start  with,  but  within  two  years  the 
number  increased  to  139.  Of  the  original  teachers  Mrs. 
Henry  Spear  is  still  in  the  school  and  has  been  through 
the  fifty  years  of  its  history  except  during  a  few  years 
when  she  was  not  resident  here.  She  was  a  deeply  inter- 
ested participant  in  the  jubilee  celebration.  Miss  Angie 
A.  Fisher  is  still  a  member  of  the  church,  but  for  several 
years  has  not  been  actively  engaged  in  the  school. 

The  school  has  been  favored  all  through  its  history 
in  having  eminently  earnest,  devoted  and  godly  men  at 
its  head.  The  following  are  the  names  of  brethren  who 
have  filled  the  office  of  superintendent :  Uzal  D.  Ward, 
about    two    years,    1852-1853;    William    Clark,    a    few 

(97) 


98 

months,  1853-1854;  Uzal  D.  Ward,  about  one  year,  1854- 
1855;  Charles  W.  Powers,  two  years,  1855-1857;  Joseph 
Hague,  one  year,  1857-1858;  Charles  W.  Powers,  three 
years,  1 858-1 861;  Uzal  D.  Ward,  four  years,  186 1- 1865; 
Rev.  Henry  F.  Smith,  three  years,  1865- 1868;  Joseph  F. 
Sanxay,  five  years,  1868- 1873  ;  Eldridge  Van  DeWerken, 
two  years,  1873- 1875;  Henry  Russell,  two  years,  1875- 
1877;  D.  G.  Garabrant,  three  years,  1877- 1880;  Charles 
W.  Maxfield,  two  years,  1880- 1882;  Frank  B.  Stone, 
1882— 

From  the  first  the  school  has  given  liberally  to  mis- 
sionary and  benevolent  purposes.  This,  indeed,  has  been 
a  principal  feature  in  the  work,  and  in  recent  years,  as 
the  tables  below  indicate,  the  amounts  given  have  been 
very  large,  and  are  increasing  year  by  year.  The  Sun- 
day-school is  organized  into  a  Sunday-school  missionary 
society,  with  officers  and  an  executive  committee,  who 
consider  the  claims  of  different  objects  to  which  appro- 
priations may  be  made,  and  make  such  recommendations 
as  may  seem  wise  and  right.  The  collections,  now 
amounting  to  over  $600  a  year,  are  appropriated  to  a 
large  variety  of  objects,  the  chief  amounts,  however, 
being  given  to  Foreign,  Home  and  State  Missions.  The 
school  is  having  a  large  place  in  the  great  work  of  world- 
wide evangelization. 


99 

Since  the  erection  of  the  present  school-room  the 
growth  of  the  school  has  been  remarkable  and  its  member- 
ship is  now  nearly  450.  A  large  number  of  scholars  are 
members  of  the  church.  A  distinctive  feature  of  the 
school  is  the  number  of  adult  classes  and  their  large  mem- 
bership. In  the  young  men's  classes  between  seventy  and 
eighty  are  enrolled. 

A  statistical  table  on  page  103  shows  the  growth  of 
the  school  during  fifty  years,  together  with  amounts  of 
money  raised. 

In  1867  a  mission  school  was  started  in  an  old  chapel 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Primitive  Methodists  on  Frank- 
lin street,  near  Harrison  street,  under  the  care  of  Eldridge 
Van  De  Werken  as  superintendent.  This  school  was  con- 
tinued through  two  or  three  seasons  and  did  good  work. 

In  1893  a  mission  school  was  established  on  Thomas 
street,  afterward  removed  to  Glenwood  avenue.  This 
school  continued  till  1901,  and  under  the  leadership  of 
Mrs.  John  Rassbach  and  of  Mrs.  John  V.  Smith  did  ex- 
cellent work  among  a  large  number  of  poor  children  not 
identified  with  any  other  school.  Evangelistic  services,  a 
sewing  school,  and  mothers'  meeting  were  held  in  the  mis- 
sion hall  on  Glenwood  avenue,  and  much  good  was  done, 
a  number  having  been  converted  and  united  with  the 
church.     In  the  summer  of  190 1  the  work  was  discon- 


lOO 


tinued  on  Glenwood  avenue,  and  removed  to  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.  Hall,  where  a  larger  number  of  the  class  needing 
just  such  a  work  is  being  reached,  and  the  work  is  being 
carried  on  with  bright  prospects,  about  seventy-five 
scholars  being  enrolled. 


^t^tx&txrCinU 


RECORD  OF  MEMBERSHIP. 

YEAR  ENDING 

6 

V 

X 

i 
1 

1 

•d 
0 

•d 

•6 

•3^ 

d 
it 

PL,  <u 

W 

m 

J 

P^ 

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Q 

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W 

Q 

S 

Dec.  31 

St,   185 1. 

13 

13 

13 

"   1852. 

4 

12 

II 

27 

I 

I 

39 

" 

"   1853. 

I 

26 

7 

34 

4 

I 

5 

68 

" 

"   1854. 

10 

7 

17 

3 

I 

4 

81 

" 

"   1855. 

13 

7 

20 

3 

I 

2 

6 

95 

" 

"   1856. 

5 

9 

14 

6 

6 

103 

" 

"   1857. 

5 

4 

9 

12 

2 

2 

16 

96 

" 

"   1858. 

32 

9 

3 

44 

II 

I 

13 

25 

"5 

" 

"   1859. 

6 

3 

I 

10 

5 

I 

3 

9 

116 

" 

i860. 

24 

18 

3 

45 

2 

I 

2 

5 

156 

" 

1861. 

16 

9 

25 

10 

2 

'5 

5 

22 

159 

" 

1862. 

2 

12 

3 

1 

18 

6 

3 

I 

I 

II 

166 

" 

"   1863. 

I 

15 

16 

7 

I 

3 

5 

16 

166 

" 

1864. 

19 

10 

29 

7 

4 

4 

15 

180 

" 

"   1865. 

8 

2 

10 

15 

2 

2 

4 

23 

167 

" 

1866. 

3 

30 

9 

3 

45 

2 

I 

3 

6 

206 

" 

1867. 

I 

I 

I 

3 

8 

3 

II 

196 

" 

1868. 

2 

9 

7 

I 

19 

8 

4 

12 

203 

" 

1869. 

3 

4 

II 

18 

18 

I 

I 

20 

201 

" 

1870. 

18 

5 

23 

5 

3 

I 

4 

13 

211 

*' 

1871. 

I 

5 

I 

7 

7 

3 

10 

208 

" 

1872. 

12 

7 

I 

20 

2 

4 

2 

8 

220 

" 

"   1873. 

8 

17 

25 

I 

3 

3 

3 

10 

235 

" 

"   1874- 

24 

14 

38 

19 

I 

6 

26 

247 

" 

"   1875. 

I 

I 

10 

I 

I 

12 

236 

" 

1876. 

3 

14 

12 

29 

6 

4 

2 

12 

253 

" 

"   1877. 

6 

105 

13 

I 

125 

II 

I 

6 

18 

360 

" 

1878. 

10 

14 

24 

5 

2 

6 

4 

17 

367 

" 

"   1879. 

31 

10 

41 

4 

2 

2 

8 

400 

" 

1880. 

I 

14 

4 

2 

21 

II 

5 

4 

6 

26 

395 

" 

1881. 

I 

4 

4 

9 

13 

4 

5 

10 

32 

372 

" 

1882. 

2 

12 

15 

29 

13 

2 

8 

4 

27 

374 

" 

"   1883. 

I 

7 

8 

27 

I 

6 

4 

38 

344 

" 

1884. 

33 

3 

2 

38 

3 

8 

4 

15 

367 

" 

1885. 

6 

7 

13 

18 

2 

4 

24 

356 

" 

1886. 

I 

15 

3 

I 

20 

16 

5 

3 

24 

352 

(lOl) 


I02 


RECORD  OF  MEMBERSHIP— Continued. 


YEAR  ENDING 

0 

0 
c 

V 

i 
'+3 

a 

1^ 

0 

0  h 

1 

•0 

0 

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0  0 

d 

ll 

£16 

JS 

Hj 

s 

Q 

2 

H^ 

^S 

Dec.  31st,   1887 

2 

* 

6 

II 

2 

21 

34 

2 

7 

17 

60 

313 

1888 

8 

7 

I 

16 

9 

7 

3 

6 

25 

304 

1889 

4 

16 

7 

27 

4 

3 

I 

6 

14 

317 

1890 

18 

.8 

26 

^3 

6 

I 

2 

22 

321 

1891 

4 

40 

18 

62 

8 

2 

6 

16 

367 

1892 

21 

10 

31 

5 

2 

8 

15 

383 

'    1893 

3 

18 

10 

I 

32 

2 

6 

I 

8 

17 

398 

1894 

I 

21 

5 

I 

28 

7 

4 

4 

15 

411 

'    1895 

3 

II 

12 

26 

28 

3 

7 

38 

399 

1896 

5 

19 

27 

51 

7 

4 

2 

7 

20 

430 

'    1897 

4 

6 

10 

8 

5 

9 

6 

28 

412 

1898 

4 

14 

12 

30 

15 

8 

3 

26 

416 

1899 

28 

5 

33 

I2 

2 

3 

5 

22 

427 

'    1900 

10 

3 

13 

6 

7 

6 

19 

421 

"     "    1901 

2 

21 

10 

33 

9 

4 

5 

18 

436 

Note. — On  the  opposite  and  following  pages  are  two  cuts  to  illus- 
trate the  membership  cabinet,  designed  by  Bro.  F.  W.  Hewes,  briefly 
described  on  pages  42  and  43.  The  first  of  these  views  shows  a  sec- 
tion of  the  list  of  members,  the  section  selected  being  the  first  two 
or  three  years  of  the  present  pastorate.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
years  covered  by  this  view  are  designated  on  the  left,  and  under 
each  the  number  of  new  members  received  during  that  year ;  also 
that  the  membership  line  extending  from  each  name  is  intersected 
by  spaces  each  of  which  represent  one  year, — of  course  the  last  year 
space  is  1901,  next  to  the  last  is  1900,  the  next  1899,  etc.,  as  indicated 
by  figures  near  the  top  of  the  view.  The  membership  line  for  men 
differs  in  color  from  that  for  women.  An  official  record  appears 
against  the  name  of  J.  Spencer  Taylor,  where  a  line  marked 
"Deacon"  appears,  extending  from  about  the  middle  of  1890  to  near 
the  end  of  1900,  covering  the  period  during  which  he  filled  that  office. 

The  other  view  shows  the  progress  in  the  extinction  of  the  debt 
of  about  $17,000  existing  after  the  erection  of  the  new  Sunday-school 
room. 


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Section  of  Roli,  of  Members,  in  Membership  Cabinet. 


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Diagram  from  Membership  Cabinet,  Showing  Debt  Reduction  from  1892  to  1901. 


I03 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL  STATISTICAL  TABLE. 


Year. 


1852 
1853 
1854 
1855 
1856 

1857 
1858 

1859 
i860 
1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1867 
1868 
1869 
1870 
1871 
1872 

1873 
1874 

1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 


Officers  aud 
Teachers. 


unknown 
unknown 

17 

19 
unknown 

18 

17 

23 

20 

19 
22 

23 
23 
24 
27 
28 

32 
30 
30 
28 

30 
26 
27 
26 
28 
30 
31 
32 
29 
31 
24 
30 
32 
31 
35 
29 
24 
31 


Scholars. 


122 
140 

158 
125 
141 
180 
171 
179 

195 
202 
188 
238 
252 
287 
260 
250 
263 
250 
239 
233 
205 
218 

253 
258 
254 
221 
201 
230 
217 
219 
210 
209 

183 
191 
223 


Total. 


139 
159 

176 
142 
164 
200 
190 
201 
218 
225 
212 
265 
280 

319 
290 
280 
291 
280 
265 
260 
231 
246 
283 
289 
286 
250 
232 
254 
247 
251 
241 
244 
212 
215 
254 


Amount  raised. 


$20.00 
20.00 
26.00 
40.00 
60.00 
62.92 
30.00 

31-71 

46.38 

50.00 

102.17 

I  17.00 

151-49 
245.00 
321.04 
285.12 
254.00 
289.06 

241-45 
268.9s 

275-91 
285.00 
263.00 
220.00 
194.04 
200.00 
225.00 

174-55 
168.48 
21 1. 00 
280.02 
239.29 
222.69 
216.74 
237.72 
222.72 
236.50 
249.83 


I04 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL  STATISTICAL  TABLE— 

Continued. 

Year. 

Officers  and 
Teachers. 

Scholars. 

Total. 

Amoiuit  raised. 

iSoo    

32 
37 
35 
38 
38 
38 
38 
40 
36 
36 
39 
38 

231 
268 
306 
327 
324 
325 
325 
336 
344 
351 
383 
398 

263 

305 
341 

365 
362 

363 
363 
376 
380 

387 
422 

436 

$2Ci;.!;i 

1891    

^82.70 

1892    

518.60 
430-00 
398-79 
397-03 
402.50 
388.17 

^01.80 

1803    

1894    

i8o<;    

1896   

1897    

1898   

1899   

1900   

IQOI      

452-18 
555-30 
650-56 

FINANCIAL  RECORD. 

On  this  and  following  pages  will  be  found  the  complete  financial 
record  since  the  organization  of  the  church.  For  want  of  space  the 
figures  for  the  first  thirty  years  are  given  in  decades,  but  from  1882 
to  1901  inclusive  each  year  is  given  separately. 


Objects. 

1852  to  1861. 

1862  to  1871. 

1872  to  1881. 

Foreign  Missions   

$340.40 

$1,456.90 

$96354 

631-32 
618.66 

♦Women's  Baptist  Foreign    Mis- 
sion Society 

Home  Missions    

189.56 

126.72 
210.80 
148.08 
225.76 

387.01 

528.50 

906.15 

383.00 
823.05 

i>353-i7 
2,275.28 

New  Jersey    Baptist  Missionary 
Convention 

355-50 
330-02 
495.86 
942.23 

2,216.98 

Ministerial  Education 

Bible  and  Publication  Work 

Sundry  Benevolent  Objects 

Sunday  School  Benevolent  Offer- 
ings    

Totals 
Home  Expenses 

$1,628.33 
8,076.42 

$7,726.05 
19,414.80 

$6,554.11 
23,999.92 

Grand  Totals   

$9,704.70 
8,464.10 

$27,140.85 

$30,554.03 

Building  Purposes 

♦Organized  1875. 


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I07 

FINANCIAL  RECORD— Concluded. 
Recapitulation. 

1853  to  1901 
inclusive. 

Foreign  Missions $9,995.12 

Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society 3,117.96 

Home  Missions 4,235.47 

Women's  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society    653.27 

New  Jersey  Baptist  Missionary  Convention 2,757.69 

Ministerial  Education 1,761.02 

Bible  and  Publication  Work 2,121.51 

Svmdry  Benevolent  Objects 1 1,688.24 

Stmday  School  Benevolent  OfiEerings 12,007.92 

Total  Benevolence     $48,338.20 

Home  Current  Expenses    113,862.14 

Building  Purposes 31,792.77 


Grand    Total    $193,993.11 


PRESS    OF 

AVIl    PRINTING   COMPANY 

MARKET    AND    FORTIETH    STREETS 

PHILADELPHIA 


/' 


V 


